Class Act

Sydney Opera House and APHIDS present a satirical and almost ‘boganised’ retelling of My Fair Lady, Grigor also skillfully weaves humorous personal experiences from her childhood throughout. Grigor shares “I grew up in Western Sydney, in a working class or underclass area that is looked down upon in the landscape of Sydney.” Echoes from the past blend humiliation and hilarity, highlighting the subtle nuances of the Australian class system. Depictions of Eliza’s transformation are told through obsessive prisms of children’s games and skipping rhymes, while the ballroom scene devolves into cringeworthy memories of getting dolled up for a school formal.

Joined on stage by dancer Alice Dixon (and some experimentally arranged orchids), she breathes life into the power plays in My Fair Lady, while the choreography skillfully finds a way to summon nuances of class psychology.

For the bourgeoisie, there will be high tea. The High Tea seats are up close and personal – and limited to 12 people each evening. These tickets include unconventional hors d’oeuvres and sparkling wine upon arrival. Make sure to arrive early to settle in before the great unwashed (just try not to look too smarmy when you do, it’s unbecoming).

Directed by Zoey Dawson, the performance shines a light on the unseen cost of a social glow up and navigating the entrenched poverty of an artistic career. “This deconstruction puts that great Australian unmentionable – class – front and centre,” The Age.