If your idea of The Worst Song Ever is "I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me" or "We Built This City (On Rock and Roll)"... well, I understand entirely! But there's a whole galaxy of ghastly -- a black hole of unholy -- that's been suppressed. For compelling reasons.
There are songs and albums that are so bad, so toxic, that the Monty Python sketch about the "Killer Joke" (developed for use on the Germans in World War 2) seems like a pretty good analogy. Fiona Scott-Norman -- of 3RRR's Trash Is My Life fame -- is our tour guide through the history of the vinyl solution.
She starts with good ol' fashioned racism and sexism -- taking us from the deleted verse of Rolf Harris's 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport' to some Southern-fried wife abuse -- and then on into some seriously freaky unknown territory. It's not for the faint of heart... or weak of urethra.
Less the star of the show than its hostess, Fiona Scott-Norman redefines the word laconic. She welcomes us to her nightmare with a surprised, toothy smile, a bloody brilliant frock and a ready laugh. (Actually, it's more like a slummy British 'larf'.)
The Needle and the Damage Done lumbers from idea to idea, but it clubs each one to death with all the colour and gleeful zeal of a seal pup hunter. A bloke two seats up from me laughed his teeth out. Thing is, they weren't false.
The Needle and the Damage Done by Fiona Scott-Norman. At Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street Prahran, until Sunday. Early and late shows on Friday and Saturday.
This review was published in the Herald Sun on December 19, 2008.
UPDATE: Fiona Scott-Norman's next show The Vinyl Solution, for the 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, takes its title from a line in this very review. Consider me chuffed.
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About Me
- Chris Boyd
- Melbourne, Australia
- Photograph: Siemienowicz
"Critics are born, not made... ask my mother."
2011 is my 25th year as an arts writer and critic, mostly of performing arts. And it’s my first year as Melbourne theatre critic for The Australian. I’ve also had long spells with the Financial Review (including a heady few years reviewing nationally), the Herald Sun (reviewing theatre and ballet), The Big Issue (as arts and literary editor) and The Melbourne Times, where it all began. I’ve also had some shorter spells with The Age: as contemporary dance writer then as their first ‘fringe’ critic.
In another life, I lectured in information and communication technology. And English.
I'm currently a member of the Green Room Awards Association's dance panel, which I have also chaired. I'm also on the selection panel of the Australian Dance Awards 2010-2012. In 2009, I helped decide the Telstra Ballet Dancer of the Year award.