Before he was the Doof Warrior in Mad Max, iOTA was the best barely kept secret in Sydney. Indie-folk-rock God then late night bastard cabaret diva, there’s a bit of all of this plus a healthy dosh of old school glam in B-Girl. The original piece features iOTA as well as the amazing Blazey Best in essentially a two-person gig – not unlike Hedwig And The Angry Inch in terms of scope and set-up, as well as in its musical eclecticism.
The band on stage is also in character and outer space somehow all at once – filling the Playhouse while not once getting in the way. A camp but ballsy rock wins out overall, but not without some great tunes and masterful performances to get the originals over the line. The story is simple but effective, and the performances of the tight cast ensure that the loud parts bounce off the wall while the silent pauses hang beautifully. Perhaps the only mismatch is the somewhat subdued Opera House setting; it’s slightly at odds with the rebellion of the overall story and the struggle of B-Girl it depicts. Having said that, maybe stories like hers (the type of thing that’s sadly still not in the news often enough) should be given a centre-stage place and rocking soundtrack. Another iOTA triumph.
