All The Fraudulent Horse Girls is a magnificently bonkers piece of theatre, described as ‘A Queer Equine Fantasia on Australian Themes’.
Developed by Brooklyn Rep, and writer Michael Louis Kennedy, the production first appeared at the now defunct The Glory in East London. This should give you an idea of what you may expect here – but to be clear, this show is very queer, very camp, and totally glorious.
The story focuses on Audrey, who is played Barbie-style by three different actors who share a costume design but no consistent physical characteristics.
First up is cabaret performer Cazeleōn, who gives Audrey a naivety about the world, which would be heartbreaking if she had any awareness of how bleak her situation is. Cazeleōn’s Audrey speaks at a mile a minute, relating to the audience how much she loves horses, and how much she adores the members of The Saddle Club – an Australian TV adaptation of a long-running book series. This Audrey has no clue what is happening around her, and no understanding of her own emotions. Audrey here is tragic, but there’s a lot of humour in how her story is told, and it is easy for the audience to go with her and want the best for her life.
An accident with a police horse introduces us to the second Audrey, played by Beth Graham. Graham is a little more aware, a little more determined, a little more belligerent. The use of the same costume design makes it immediately apparent that we are witnessing a different version of the same character, and even though it shouldn’t, this somehow just works as a device.
Our third and final Audrey is Alice Morgan-Richards, probably best known within the East London Drag Cabaret Burlesque scene for their ‘Dairy King’. Here, Morgan-Richards shows a completely different side to their performing skills, bringing seriousness and tragedy to the conclusion of Audrey’s tale.
There is also musical accompaniment and light audience participation, as the audience is strongly encouraged to read cue cards and embody any other characters required in the latter parts of the narrative. Of particular note is the song ‘Horses are the glue that binds us together’ – which is exactly the kind of blinkered song you’d expect Audrey to have written by the time you get to that point in the performance.
This production also features that rarest of theatrical devices – a false ending. So don’t think about leaving until you’re really sure that the performance is finished. You’ll know when you get there.
This may well not be for you, and that is fine, but if you are a part of the audience that this show was developed for, then we hope that you will love it as much as we did. It is gloriously surreal to tell a serious story about bullying, childhood trauma, the importance of talking to your children, and how we have a tendency to tell girls ‘no’ repeatedly and then wonder why they rebel. As ever, the campness and unabashed queerness hides a darker tale.
Highly recommended – but be prepared to have your senses assaulted and to question everything you thought you knew about horse-obsessed girls.
All The Fraudulent Horse Girls continues at the Pleasance Dome – Ace Dome (Venue 23), at 2.50pm (14:50), until August 26th (not 20th)
