Satirical comedy and cabaret come together at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Blak Cabaret stars the unstoppable diva Constantina Bush - aka Kamahi Djordon King - as the forgotten
Queen from a distant land. She’s sassy, outrageous and black, and claims Australia as her own in a play that is the highlight of the 2015 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) performance program.
Queen Constantina is joined on stage by her lady-in-waiting Nikki Ashby, and is accompanied by an amazing music ensemble, including Bart Willoughby, Kutcha Edwards, and Cairns talents, Deline Briscoe and Troy Brady.
CIAF Artistic Director, Janina Harding said the scathingly funny dialogue and subversive song and dance would provide an ingenious satirical look at the divisive issues of racism, prejudice and insidious cruelty.
“The performance is also a raucously funny reimagining of conditions in colonial Australia, turning the traditional historical take on our pas t, on its head,” Ms Harding said.
Conceived by Producer Jason Tamiru, and penned by Torres Strait Islander actor/playwright Nakkiah Lui
( ABC-TV Black Comedy ), Blak Cabaret combines biting political satire with deep soul music and hip hop.
“Blak Cabaret has a strong narrative headed by a wonderful, sassy character in the form of Constantina
Bush as the Queen of the black people, who has come to flip history upside down,” Mr Tamiru said.
“We have been able to produce a show that uses glitzy, extravagant cabaret to tell a satirical and darkly funny story capturing the emotion of a particular moment in history.
“We want the viewer to walk away knowing they have seen a really entertaining show, while also opening their eyes to issues they may not have previously thought about,” he said.
The nationally acclaimed show from the team at the Malthouse Theatre will take to the stage at this year’s
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) on Tuesday 28 July, Wednesday 29 July and Friday 31 July.
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is supported by Arts Queensland, part of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, through Backing Indigenous Arts, a Queensland Government program that aims to build a stronger, more sustainable and ethical Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts industry in the State and through the Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy, an initiative of the Australian State and Territory
Governments.
For more information and to book tickets, visit ciaf.com.au
Event details:
Dates, times & cost: 28 July 6.30PM Doors / 7.30PM Show $25/ 20
29 July 6.30PM Doors / 7.30PM Show $25/ 20

Seating:
Rating:
31 July 7PM Doors / 8PM Show $30/25
A transaction fee applies to all ticket purchases
Cabaret style
PG
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:
Michaela Tam - mtam@agencynorth.com.au
/ 0431 868 382
Lisa Coutts - lcoutts@agencynorth.com.au
/ 0468 602 890
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) is supported by Arts Queensland, through Backing
Indigenous Arts, a program that aims to build a stronger, more sustainable and ethical
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts industry and through the Visual Arts and Crafts
Strategy, an initiative of the Australian State and Territory Governments.