Betty Grumble LOVE & ANGER @ The Shambles (for FRINGE WORLD)
Monday, February 5, 2018
Betty Grumble (Emma Maye Gibson) is the ecosexual elixir that exhausted feminists everywhere need to revive them in 2018. Or anytime, for that matter. She is subversive, divine majesty delivered from the earth, in all her naked glory. Being Grumbled is not for the faint of heart, or those for whom the naked body is not celebrated, but it is definitely one of the most gloriously true Fringe experiences you will find. Whether you’re searching for something to feast your anger on and rage out to, laugh until you cry to, love yourself a little bit harder with, or just plain celebrate being or loving a woman, Betty Grumble is the eco-feminist warrior you didn’t know you were missing and seeking.
Her opening made for an incredible opening night, as Grumble raged against the machine with her vulva as weapon of choice. She gives an entirely new meaning to lip syncing. Never has bodily autonomy been so evident and, indeed, fruitful. If you’re one of the lucky, you may even depart with an authentic Grumble souvenir of her trademarked pussy painting. This is, in her own words, “feminist, queer, avant-garde performance art”, the likes of which you have never seen. Let’s hope that you come equipped to deal with it, because Grumble throws her sexuality at you like a giggling, singing, razor-swathed gauntlet.
Largely inspired by readings from the SCUM Manifesto by Valerie Solanas, who is infamous for shooting Andy Warhol, Grumble delivers a resounding message for men everywhere – we are done with your shit. No room for #notallmen in this age of enlightenment and female power. We are done, and Betty Grumble is not having it. Make no mistake, Love and Anger is Betty Grumble’s own personal manifesto (Grumble-esto, perhaps), and it is nothing less than a war cry that echoes, and yet it is grounded in a message of supreme love and forgiveness. She is a triple threat – this woman sings, dances and exhilarates.
Comprised of a variety hour of dance magic, beautiful singing and a monologue from the depths of her spirit, Betty Grumble owns this hour of your life, wholly, holey and wholeheartedly, and you’ll leave feeling like you’ve been changed or measured somehow. This is poetry in naked motion.
Betty Grumble is the iconic queer hero we need right now, in this age of hashtags and women finding their voices within #metoo. She is invigorating, life-giving, a touch of CPR for the embattled feminist soul, and utterly inspiring. This is what Fringe should be all about. Get amongst it. Feel the Grumble vibe.
NATALIE GILES
Betty Grumble LOVE AND ANGER (Or Sex Clown Saves The World AGAIN!) runs until February 11 at The Shambles at Fringe Central. For tickets and more information, visit the event page here.
