In our interview, Fez Faanana, the charismatic host of Briefs Factory, shares thrilling insights about their collaboration with The Art Boat at Brisbane Festival 2024. This unique floating experience will feature five distinct shows across the festival’s run, each offering a different theme—from family-friendly matinees to glamorous Saturday soirées. Fez highlights how Briefs Factory will blend circus, burlesque, drag, and comedy to create a celebratory and immersive theatrical experience aboard a magnificent 45-metre vessel. With a stunning design by Josh Machintosh including a giant octopus wrapping itself around the boat, The Art Boat promises to redefine contemporary performance in a vibrant festival of art and entertainment. Read on to discover more about this exciting venture directly from Fez!
Hi Fez, together with Briefs Factory, you’re hosting The Art Boat at the Brisbane Festival. Tell us a bit about the shows – I see that there are different experiences each day.
Yes, Briefs Factory are resident artists on the Art Boat. Brisbane Festival is a special festival for us to play. We travel the world doing festivals and it’s really great to be given this opportunity. We are making something special for Brisbane audiences.
The Art Boat has 5 different experiences: matinée cruises (which are family-friendly), date night, Knock off Fridays, Glam Saturdays and Unplugged Sundays. Could audiences attend each night and get a different experience from the previous night?
The themes for each night give us the chance to set the tone for the audience. They are themes that will be familiar to everyone with DJ Candi (the Merindahs) setting the atmosphere for the night and the artists will activate the various spaces of the Art Boat.
For the uninitiated, how would you describe Briefs Factory and what people can expect from your shows?
Briefs is celebratory and ceremonial. We love to bring theatre that everyone can connect to. It’s contemporary theatre that channels the old-world spirit of cabaret, weaponizing Circus, Drag, Burlesque and Comedy. We are kind of the love child of the Aussie larrikin, the thespian and the punk.
What makes “The Art Boat” unique compared to other shows you’ve done?
Well it’s on a boat. We’ve never made a site specific work on a boat. The design of the boat by Josh Machintosh is magnificent. I can’t wait for people to come aboard experience the acts, the music and the design.
What inspired the creation of “The Art Boat” show?
Brisbane Festival have run a similar yet smaller program in previous years. We were involved with that program and we were delighted to receive the offer from festival director Louise Bezzina.
How do you blend different art forms like circus, burlesque, and drag in “The Art Boat”?
We are presenting our style of arty party as usual but this time you are on a 45 metre boat for 75min with a DJ, an ensemble of Brisbane based trailblazing artists, the Seadeck crew and a giant octopus that is wrapping itself around the boat. What could go wrong?
How many artists are involved in The Art Boat?
We have 6 artists and we feature 1 guest artist each show.
Your manifesto incorporates the key elements of visibility, virtuosity, and sovereignty. Can you tell us how you ensure these in your performances.
These ideas are innately built into our work as the combination of casting and in turn the content is created by individuals who allow for diverse visibility, who bring virtuosity through their skills and artistry, and sovereignty through the very nature of Briefs Factory as an anti-establishment independent collective.
What are the challenges involved in staging a show on a boat?
Everything is in theory until we get on the boat…..
How do you ensure that “The Art Boat” is family-friendly while maintaining its edge? Similarly, how do you tailor your performances for different age groups?
We have an all ages arm to our company. We toured 3 months last year throughout Europe which really confirmed and celebrated a part of our company that is often secondary to the adults show.
BRIEFS’ INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE FRANCOPHONIE
Briefs International has performed in Paris before. Can you please tell us how that came about and the experience. Did you perform in English to French audiences? How did the show work?
I managed to learn some key words in French to get through. The audience was forgiving when it came to the language barrier. We performed at L’european Theatre. Of course we want to perform in Paris. Who wouldn’t want to perform in the home of burlesque and cabaret.
You have also collaborated with New Caledonian artists developing their burlesque and cabaret scene. I saw you also performed with them at Perth Fringe World earlier in the year.
We love the Noumea Burlesque Troupe. We have worked with them for over 10 years. We have been privileged to mentor, collaborate and exchange with Noumea Burlesque. They are very special humans with an enormous amount of talent and generosity.
Tell us about your recent time in Montreal, and your work with the French-speaking drag artist.
Bardaba is a Quebec based drag artist who co-hosted with me in Montreal. She is an absolute pro and she has an incredible ability to be political, punk and pretty.
How do you adapt your performances for different cultural audiences?
There is always some kind of shift in the show no matter where you are. As the host I enjoy local referencing. It’s makes you a local champion for a moment which is always good to win an audience over.
ABOUT FEZ
How long have you been performing?
I began dance at a young age as a way of connecting with my Samoan heritage. It was something I became fluent in and I found it flicked a switch of excitement and ease. So, performing since I was 7 and professionally since I left high school almost 30 years ago.
How do you come up with your stage persona and character?
She fell into my lap at a dinner party. She was born from an ugly old wig that I friend was throwing out. I popped it on, then I turned it backwards, sat at the dinner party and I started being an idiot… I was engulfed by the spirit of Shiavnnah. That idiot is still with us.
Who are your drag inspirations?
Barbette, Amanda Lapour, Sylvester, Rhonda Burchmore
How do you balance your roles as a performer and a director?
I don’t do it as well as I would like to. I am surrounded and supported by some pretty incredible people. My partner Mark does a lot of heavy lifting and I work with Cluster Arts who support Briefs in producing services.
What has been the most rewarding part of your journey with Briefs International?
I have the privilege to manifest an idea and then to make it a reality. Sometimes the version I manifest and the final product are nowhere near the same thing but that is how it worked out and that’s perfect.
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We thank Fez Faanana of Briefs Factory for this interview and cannot wait to set sail on The Art Boat.
KEY INFO FOR THE ART BOAT
WHAT: The Art Boat
WHEN: Thursdays to Sundays from 31 August to 21 September 2024 – various times to choose from whether it be a 3pm early show or a 9pm late show and others in between
WHERE: Departing South Bank Pontoon B
HOW: Purchase your tickets via this link
HOW MUCH: Ticket prices range from $35 to $45
Discover more Brisbane Festival shows with French and Francophone links in this article
Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show is coming to Brisbane Festival this month
