 Innovative, original, vibrant and bold – the new FAKE shows at The Midnight Shift stand out in more ways than one, writes Damien Stephens. As summer heats up, so does Fresh Fridayz at The Midnight Shift with the immensely popular Fake shows headlined by none other than Courtney Act, Vanity Faire, Decoda Secret and eye-candy dancers, Wil and Dan. And they’re set to revitalize Friday nights in a burst of iridescent colour, melding dazzling visuals, fierce choreography and a mash-up of live tracks and vocals as never quite seen before. Creative director Courtney Act is planning to take production shows to a whole new level. “Fake delivers two action-packed shows, stunning costumes, pumping soundtracks and slick choreography. The biggest inspiration was to create something different and fabulous and we’ve rehearsed for weeks to create a tight and professional show,” she tells SX. “The Shift has a reputation of being the place to have fun; it’s so great working on Oxford Street again and seeing the place packed and knowing it’s our shows that brought the crowd.” Originally from Brisbane, Courtney (real name Shane Jenek), 26, is no stranger to the spotlight, having spent eight years performing there before heading for the big smoke. Coming out in Sydney at 18, her career soon took off: “It was like a whole new phase of my life. After a stint as a Children’s TV host, the natural progression was drag and I worked five nights a week on Oxford Street. They were crazy days, but so much fun,” she says.
And whether sporting appearances at the ARIAs, competing in Australian Idol or starring in the renowned Divastated shows, the ambitious performer is pretty much a household name these days. Yet she seems reflective about life in the public arena: “It’s important to follow your passion, and if that leads you to a career in the public eye then so be it. But I think the driving force should be the passion, not the validation”. Courtney is joined in the Fake shows by the glimmering Vanity Faire and new gal on the block, Decoda Secret who, after some time as a back-up dancer was recognised by Ashley Swift for her drag skills. And Decoda (real name David Olsen) is just as thrilled: “I feel so privileged to be working with outstanding performers like Vanity and Courtney; they’re both people I’ve admired since coming onto the Sydney scene and I’m really looking forward to having fun with the shows and further developing my skills as a drag queen,” she tells SX. And of course, Vanity Faire (real name Ben Moir) returns to the stage after some time out devoting attention to an assignment in make-up and wigs for Priscilla: The Musical. She too, is having a hoot. “I’m loving the experience,” she tells SX. “It’s a lot of work, but being on stage again makes it all worthwhile. It’s wonderful to see a project you’ve worked hard on put smiles on people’s faces.” And she’s just as enthused about collaborating with her ‘little sister’ and WigsByVanity.com business partner. “Courtney and I are very close in day to day life and it’s been a long time since we’ve performed together but she’s so organised and professional, I’m really looking forward to this time ‘round,” she says. The knockout shows are further complimented by resident DJs Kitty Glitter with Dan Murphy and Greg Boladian on rotation, and Fresh Fridayz is already drawing a stellar response. Event producer Stephen Craddock offers his song of praise soon after seeing the show. “Both Courtney and Vanity are already legends. Mix them with Decoda and a sprinkling of Dan and Wil and you’ve got a fabulous night.” And DIVA Hall of Fame inductee and drag icon Mitzi Macintosh also gave the project the thumbs up. “I was blown away. Congrats to the cast and welcome back to Oxford Street. Go, see, enjoy!” Catch FAKE every Firday night at The Midnight Shift, 85 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Shows 1am and 2.30am. Doors open 11pm. Entry $10.
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Pushing the boundaries: Inside the hit show Fake
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