X-rated fairy tales – it sounds like an oxymoron until you experience Shake & Stir Theatre Co’s Grimm, now playing at QPAC during the Brisbane Festival.

This outrageously original mash-up of the German Brothers Grimm’s stories and characters pushes the limits with pornographic innuendo (there are two references to “golden showers”), hard-core swearing and unsettling depictions of violence.

Were these extremes used just for shock value that could be a turn-off, but the progressive Brisbane troupe’s world premiere adaptation is statement theatre, serving a big “up yours” to the romantic fantasy instilled by myths of royal rescues and happily ever after.

Grimm is also impressively clever, brilliantly performed, frequently hilarious and thoroughly entertaining. Juxtaposing song, verse, music and dance – often anachronistically – the rollicking 90-minute ride feels like Into the Woods on steroids.

For theatre aficionados there are extra layers below the surface to relish. The diverse performance elements are used as Brechtian epic theatre devices to challenge and confront established notions, alongside others including breaking the fourth wall (which provided my favourite line) and placards (in the form of subtitles translating German to English).

Writers Nelle Lee and Daniel Evans’ take reclaims the tales’ pragmatic cautionary purpose of serving females in navigating life’s brutal realities. Doubling as performer and director respectively ensures tautly energetic execution of their script.

Lee’s sassy Little Red Riding Hood serves as protagonist for the work’s feminist through-line of empowerment. She’s perfectly matched by charismatically imposing actor-musician Brendan Maclean (seen in Velvet with Marcia Hines) as the Wolf (and other characters). His fervent piano-playing singing registers as a cross between Nick Cave and Freddie Mercury.

Angie Milliken (Bernhardt/Hamlet for Queensland Theatre) and Aljin Abella (The Artful Dodger on Disney+) complete a superb cast.

The production elements are also optimally realised – from Josh McIntosh’s off-kilter vaudevillian set full of surprises to the camp stylised costumes of Paul McCann, Guy Webster’s evocative score and sound and Trent Suidgeest’s dramatic lighting. The work’s one Disney-esque moment is inspired, poignantly conjuring full Bambi heartstring-pulling magic from a deer puppet.

Choreography and movement by Dan Venz and NJ Price’s fight direction are also spot-on.

Shake & Stir Theatre Co – Lee and her co-artistic directors Ross Balbuziente and Nick Skubij – keep going from strength to strength. It’s testimony to their talent that this homegrown work will be one of Brisbane Festival 2024’s standouts and hottest tickets. So it’s just as well that Grimm’s season continues for a fortnight after the festival.

Grimm continues at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, until October 6 (This production is recommended for ages 14+). 

 qpac.com.au

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