Image: Joel Devereux

Polytoxic

Dangerous Goods

Polytoxic is an Australian collective led by two feminist performance-makers at the top of their game: Lisa Fa’alafi and Leah Shelton. Lisa is the renowned co-creator of smash-hit Hot Brown Honey, which has played to over 50,000 people across five countries, garnering numerous 5-star reviews, a Helpmann Award, two Green Room Awards and UK’s Total Theatre Award for Innovation. Leah’s triptych of solo works interrogating gender and identity have received critical acclaim, with tours to the major Australian festivals, throughout France and to SOHO Theatre London.

Together as Polytoxic, Lisa and Leah create hyper-visual, pop-inspired performance work built upon foundations of diversity, collaboration and intersectionality.

Since 2000, Polytoxic’s work has been presented in traditional huts, indie theatre seasons, dusty big-tops and major festivals including PS122’s COIL Festival New York, Harbourfront Centre Canada, Wan Smolbag Vanuatu, Sydney Opera House, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Festival, Perth Fringe World, Bleach Festival, Enlighten, and Arts House Melbourne.

    ABOUT THE PROJECT

    Performance renegades Polytoxic have been commissioned by Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) to create DANGEROUS GOODS, a scorching, uninhibited, unfiltered and unforgettable night of entertainment underpinned by Polytoxic’s ethos of diversity, collaboration, intersectionality. The work’s premiere season at QPAC was in January-February 2024.

    DANGEROUS GOODS is an unapologetic and hot-as-hell cabaret of provocative performances, jaw-dropping physical feats, and powerful acts of rebellion. Featuring a world-class lineup of circus, aerials, drag, burlesque and power vocals, iconic performance renegades Polytoxic bring you an unforgettable evening of high-octane entertainment that is fully-loaded and flammable AF.

    Polytoxic has a long history of making work that starts with a party and ends with a call to arms. DANGEROUS GOODS is about lighting up ‘dangerous’ ideas – such as self-determination, gender politics, cultural inclusivity, diversity – and exploding them within a cabaret world of satire and humour, female strength and body sovereignty.

    This is a cabaret for the brave new world, with a crew of diverse, multi-talented, super-powered femmes ready to blow minds and shift paradigms.

    Handle with care… or ya might get burned.

    “Dangerous Goods is femme excellence. It is culturally diverse excellence. It is intersectional excellence. Artists at the top of their game making art on their terms and excelling.” – Artshub

    “Dangerous Goods is more than a cabaret; it’s a movement, a celebration of feminism, climate change activism, and a fierce stance against the fetishization of culture and the shackles of patriarchy.” – Stage Whispers

    Leah Shelton
    info@polytoxiclovesyou.com