Gods, Monsters & Oracles Return For The Pride Season In Melbourne
Image: Bass G Fam. Image: Supplied
Tales of gods, goddesses, mermaids, heroes and monsters have always fascinated Bass G Fam. Born and raised in an Egyptian family, Melbourne-based writer, director and producer Bass remembers his mum getting him a calendar with illustrations on gods and goddesses behind each Zodiac sign when he was 12 years old.
“These illustrations blew my mind, and when I went to the library and started looking up mythology and ancient civilizations,” says Bass.
“Coming from an Egyptian background, I was already fascinated with our ancestors; the pharaohs, the kings and queens of Egypt and the decadence of it all. My fascination with mythology and the zodiac signs grew and eventually led me to write a theatre show based on these tales. As I grew up, I saw slightly different sides… more adult sides to these myths.”
‘Coming To Terms With Sexuality’
Bass moved to Australia in 2000 to pursue graphic design and marketing, before setting up a creative agency in Melbourne and counting pop singer Danni Minogue among his clients. The world of theatre and an all-male burlesque dance show beckoned. In 2019, he debuted his first independent theatre show Matador, which went on to do a sold-out national tour.
“Matador was my life… my story. Coming to terms with my own headspace, my sexuality and exploring one of the biggest love stories I lived, my heartbreaks and my journey to discovering who I really am,” says Bass.
His new show Oracle takes a more fantastic turn with vengeful gods, powerful goddesses, warriors and legends behind the birth of star constellations. The cast of 18 performers, led by The Voice Australia star Jazmin Varlet, will take audiences into “a world of decadence, art, culture, jaw-dropping circus acts, out-of-this-world aerials, burlesque superstars, impeccable choreography and high fashion.”
The show debuted in 2022 to rave reviews and won an award at the Adelaide Fringe. The encore season will take place at the Athenaeum Theatre, during the Pride season in Melbourne.
Show Created During COVID-19 Lockdowns
The show was created during Covid lockdowns lockdown, and according to Bass became his escape from the real world and into a land of myths and legends. The grief over the loss of someone very close to him imbibed the show with another layer. “The Gemini act – explores and celebrates the fragility of life, the concept of life after death and finding the beauty and sparkle through it all,” says Bass.
The 2023 Pride season will also see Matador return to Sydney during WorldPride. “Normalising these (queer) storylines and having artists of different ethnicities, genders, sexualities and body shapes perform these roles proudly, unapologetically and brilliantly is exactly what we need to see more of these days,” says Bass.
Catch ‘Oracle’ at the Athenaeum Theatre from January 19 to February 11, 2023
