Gone Girls

Patrick Livesey and Annabel Larcombe shake the very foundations of political rhetoric with their high-octane, uproarious, clever and unforgettable show Gone Girls. Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female Prime Minister, and Julie Bishop, the formidable, sharp, and always elegantly dressed former Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, re-tell their tumultuous tango with power, politics and the public, and take on the Patriarchy along the way #auspol. 

Receiving bipartisan support from the opening minutes, Gone Girls turns the dial back to 1998. Julie Gillard has aspirations to empower women in politics in Australia. Julie Bishop dons a power suit, begins her obsession with running and looking svelte, and (literally) sells her soul to the devil. Guided by the latest polls and approval ratings, Julie and Julia rise up the ranks of their respective parties and become fascinated by the other. 

When Julia Gillard becomes the 27th Prime Minister in 2010, Julie Bishop seethes and sics Kevin Rudd and Women’s Weekly on her in the ultimate power play. (Side note: Look up Julia Gillard knitting royal baby kangaroo.) It seemed that Julia Gillard’s speech wasn’t enough, and she is removed from power. Post-Prime Ministership, Julia Gillard remains in the shadows, “making it easier for the next woman” to become the next female leader, and props Julie Bishop to the role. However, the “boys in the basement” make it clear they have no real intention of ever making Julie the next PM, opting for Scott Morrison in 2019. 

Betrayed by men, the system and their loyalty to service, the two pair up, and finally unite to bring down the Boys Club – even if it takes 100 years! 

Patrick Livesey is a vision playing Julia Gillard in drag. 

‘It all stemmed from a deep respect for her and what she had achieved, and an ubabashed fury that she wasn’t given proper recognition as being one of our best prime ministers. The underlying catalyst was a desire to right the wrongs. The art of drag is a huge inspiration with the show, in particular that special combination of joy, reverence and tongue-in-cheek-ness that makes it a genuinely thrilling artform,’ explains Livesey. 

Annabel Larcombe emulates Julie Bishop so well, capturing her mannerisms, stoicism and wit perfectly.  

It’s hard to stress just how amazingly enriching and entertaining Gone Girls is. The references, the Question Time footage, the stats, the outfits, the vile comments made by men about women. It’s all there. Who remembers when tampons, Julia Gillard and taxpayers’ money was used in the same sentence on talkback radio by some hick? It’s confronting to realise this was just 10 years ago. 

Gone Girls is a masterpiece, pure and simple.  

Gone Girls
Gasworks Theatre, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park, 3206
On stage until Saturday 6 August 2022
gasworks.org.au/whats-on/gone-girls

Images: Jacinta Oaten