Leah Shelton talks BATSHIT, unpacks ‘female madness’ myths and shares her must-sees at Brisbane Festival
From September 10–13, Brisbane Festival unleashes BATSHIT, Leah Shelton’s wildly theatrical and darkly comic deep-dive into the myths of female madness. Fresh from an award-winning run at Edinburgh Fringe, this one-woman spectacle tears into the word ‘crazy’ with wit, grit and glitter, blending raw storytelling, pop culture and unflinching research. Before BATSHIT takes over Brisbane Powerhouse, we caught up with Leah to chat about her fearless muses, the joy of mixing glitter with protest and why humour can be the sharpest tool for change.
To start, we’d love to know what sources of inspiration have had the biggest impact on shaping your creative voice and ethos? (formative experiences, other artists, mentors or any meaningful influences)
I’d like to honour the fierce femmes in my life that have inspired me to become the artist I am. From my early dance teacher (who dared to wear short spiky hair, no bra and bright red lipstick in a conservative country town in the 90s), to the terrifying but unwavering Jacqui Carroll from cult theatre company Frank Theatre, and the inimitable performance art provocateur and Director of BATSHIT, Ursula Martinez. And of course I can’t forget my art-wife and co-director of Polytoxic, Lisa Fa’alafi, who inspires me every day with her unapologetic boss bitch energy.
You are co-director of intersectional feminist theatre disruptors Polytoxic alongside Lisa Fa’alafi. Can you shed some light on how Polytoxic came to be and the motivations and goals underpinning the endeavour, both in the beginning and now?
Lisa and I have been working together for over 20 years now, and I think we’ve always been driven by a passion for making work that is wildly entertaining, visually stunning and also charged with political activism. We want people to come for the party and stay for the protest! Probably the only difference is these days we’re a lot more unapologetic about it – I love being shouty zero-f*cks aunties together, scheming and dreaming new ways towards intersectionality, decolonisation and collective liberation.
You’ll be bringing your award-winning show BATSHIT to the Brisbane Powerhouse stage for this year’s Brisbane Festival. The show draws upon an incredibly personal story for you – the real-life experiences of your grandmother Gwen. Can you give us any insight into the circumstances that sit at the core of BATSHIT and what was the catalyst for your decision to translate it to stage?
Yes, the show is an homage to my grandmother Gwen, who was locked up and given a cocktail of drugs and shock therapy in 1960s Australia – all for wanting to leave her husband. I think I’ve always been angry about the lies we’re told about female madness – that we’re hysterical, delusional, unreliable, hormonal – and so I would say this show has been brewing in me for generations. It has become a scream of defiance, anger and sadness about the mistreatment Gwen, and many others, received (and still do).
You undertook some in-depth research to help flesh out different aspects of BATSHIT – what were some of the impactful revelations that you unearthed during this process?
Through the research process for this work, we actually uncovered the medical case files from Gwen’s incarceration at Heathcote Hospital, Perth, WA. The reports were worse than I might have imagined – full of judgemental, condescending and gendered language from Doctors and Nurses, consistently implying that she was detained because she wanted to leave her husband – and then deemed “cured” when she returned compliantly back to her husband after treatment. I also realised that the pervasive stereotype of the crazy woman (cis, trans and beyond) still holds strong today. From being disbelieved in a court of law to being told we’re imagining our symptoms in the doctor’s office, I think it’s fair to say the system is f*cked and it’s time for a reboot.
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The show is described as both a dark comedy and a piece of raw storytelling. How do you approach a topic like the one at the core of BATSHIT, transforming it into an engaging cross-genre performance work that is both insightful in detail and unflinching in its truthfulness, yet still fused with humour?
In some ways, I actually just can’t help myself! I love all things theatrical, so the fashion-glam- horror, fake limbs, pop-psychology, lip-sync, dark comedy, visual trickery and magic are just all part of bringing the audience on the journey. I really believe in the power of humour to help us talk about difficult subjects, and I think it’s a wonderful way of drawing people in, a way to create space for feelings and empathy that can, in turn, lead to transformation.
What kind of conversations or reflections do you hope audiences will take away from the BATSHIT experience?
BATSHIT has had an incredible response from audiences wherever it’s been performed. People are moved, empowered and enraged – and often, it’s about feeling seen. It’s my hope this work creates a space to share stories and conversations that unite, agitate, and provoke social change. So, whether it’s feeling seen, or feeling enraged, it’s the power of theatre to find ways to make sense of how we can live better in this world.
We hear you’re currently undertaking a Churchill Fellowship to research cutting-edge practices of activism in live performance. What has this undertaking taught you about activism-led performance and its importance as an artform?
It’s such a massive topic! What was most incredible about the Fellowship was the opportunity to travel and meet so many incredible artists and thought-leaders who are all producing work that is change-making on both the micro and the macro. I think we’re in a time where censorship, conflict and outrage are so pervasive, so the arts can often be the antidote to this, to help us create refuges where we can ask questions and speak truth to power.
Finally, are there any other Brisbane Festival events or performances that you are excited to experience this September?
For me, I’m all about supporting the incredible work created by independent artists in our community. I’m super excited to see Congratulations, Get Rich! (恭喜发财, 人日快乐) by the multi-talented Merlynn Tong; as well as Unveiling Shadows by Joshua Taliani (to watch Josh move is to be captivated!); the iconic Miss Ellaneous (AKA Ben Graetz)’s work TINA – A Tropical Love Story, and I cannot wait to see Sheridan Harbridge channel The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett. I’m also really excited to check out the Make a Scene exhibition at Queensland Museum which honours the 90s queer club scene and the elders that paved the way towards the decriminalisation of homosexuality 35 years ago.
Don’t miss BATSHIT at Brisbane Powerhouse from September 10–13. Secure your seats here, and visit the Brisbane Festival website to check out the full program.