Brisbane Festival 2023: ‘On Heat’ creator Leah Shelton on reclaiming the female body
Language warning.
Coming in hot at Brisbane Festival this year is ‘On Heat’ by Leah Shelton. Described as “a pop-fuelled critique of sexual politics in the age of cynicism”, the show was originally titled ‘Bitch On Heat’ in 2019. So what’s changed in four years besides the name? Theatre Haus asked Shelton for the details ahead of the 2023 Metro Arts debut, running Wednesday 30 August to Saturday 2 September.
“It’s like a 2.0 version of ‘Bitch on Heat’,” Shelton explained. “A refresh, an update, a look at where we are now in the supposed post-MeToo landscape.”
Shelton said the name change is also an adaptation to social media censorship which has so much power over how things are shared and promoted online (as much as Shelton says she hates that).
Shelton, as creator/star of the show, says she’s seen gains made since 2019, but also backlash.
“Sure, there has been a lot of awareness built through conversations around consent and believing women, which is deeply important. But then you don’t have to look far to see intense media vilification of women who speak out about sexual misconduct; a lack of support for survivors, deeply problematic reporting and justice processes; and the growing popularity of the hate-filled misogyny of the manosphere, conversations around abortion and body sovereignty.”
Though the topics are serious when it comes to the “centuries of misogynist myths and stories” that Shelton interrogates, she uses physical humour and “high-camp performance”.
“Humour is a great tool to connect with audiences, draw them in, and explore taboo subjects in a way that we might not otherwise be able to explore,” she explains. “We can laugh at something, then question ourselves: why did we laugh at that horrific thing?
My art is political, and it’s a way that I can see to making a difference.”
Directed by UK performance artist Ursula Martinez, the show borrows and then “messes with” forms including comedy, cabaret and burlesque.
“Referencing, questioning and subverting what we think we know, and in doing so, reclaiming the objectified female body,” Shelton says. “It’s a combination of homage, critique, anger, riot, and celebration.”
Shelton met Martinez through the Fringe cabaret scene and calls the director “one hell of an inspiration.” In particular, she recommends Martinez’ infamous red hanky magic striptease act, which Shelton says she has since performed all over the world.
“Inimitable, unapologetic, fierce, political performance art provocateur. Her belief and support has helped me find strength, vulnerability, and to embrace a zero-fucks performance ethos.”
And that ethos presumably comes in handy in what she calls a very physical show with a lot of emotion on display.
“I feel physically spent and emotionally pretty raw,” when the curtain goes down. “And also angry that we’re still needing to talk about this shit!”
Shelton says she’s seen a variety of audience responses to ‘On Heat’.
“I’ve had people come out in tears, very moved, feeling seen and heard. And I’ve had the odd bloke who’s come out and made comments on my ‘great body’. So at the end of the day, all I can do is make the work and interrogate the ideas I’m interested in, and hope that this resonates with other people’s personal experiences.”
‘On Heat’ runs at Metro Arts as part of Brisbane Festival from Wednesday 30 August to Saturday 2 September. Visit the festival website here for more.
