Melbourne Fringe: Enemies of Grooviness Eat Shi!t

The last week of the cultural juggernaut that is Melbourne Fringe is upon us, and Arts House is intent on going out with a resounding bang with its transformative, visceral and supremely powerful show Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t. Concepts of ethical composting, wet play, a glam squad and asking for a wine line are obliterated and re-defined by an outstanding performance Emma Maye Gibson, whose warmth and aura reverberated throughout the space. Embodying the character of Betty Grumble, a queen, a leader, and a deity of feminism, the show is a self-reflective, regenerative dive into grief, pain, revenge, love and freedom. 

Trigger warning: The show is strictly suited for a mature audience and features scenes of full-frontal nudity, masturbation, references to intimate partner violence, and defecation. After a decade of playing within her spiritual access point and avatar, Betty Grumble performance artist Emma Maye Gibson re-emerges with Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t as a mantric wish to mourn lost lives and loves, flawed constructs of power and justice, and the world at large. 

‘Grumble does not belong to me, she belongs to the universe. Like the fractal landscape of a flower, like a drag face on the bum of a caterpillar. She has held me, and at this threshold of maturation, I let her become and unbecome me. Thank You Body!’ remarks Emma Maye Gibson. 

The 90-minute show performance explores the four “Ms” that we all should abide by – meditation, masturbation, mastication and mobility – and Emma Maye Gibson and dubious sidekick Craigs List dominate the stage through poetry, rock n roll performance art collision, dance, glow body art, a make-up tutorial performed by two – two?! – audience members guided by an audio clip of a tween and a full-body orgasm. Admittedly, the first 20 minutes felt a little slow compared to the sublime acts that followed. Gibson/Grumble is a fantasy whether she is in an outfit made from two sets of pantyhose or glow art. The performance includes a whole-audience dance and aerobics number, which, once you let go of your inhibitions, it’s really a fun time.  

Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t will wow you, it will move you, it will make you feel uncomfortable. But you’ll come out of the other side a more enlightened and free human body. 

Enemies of Grooviness Eat Shi!t 
Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne
On stage until Saturday 21 October 2023