Big Queer Talent Quest

Overview

It's been delightful to see the queer programming around Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras extend beyond parties and parades, with the 2024 Mardi Gras highlights covering more mediums and performance styles than we've ever seen. Comedy — a scene that has long been catnip for the queer community — is strongly represented this year, and highly recommended is Big Queer Talent Quest.

Hosted and produced by comedian, actor, DJ, drag king and general-purpose polymath Natali Caro AKA Papi Chulo, the Big Queer Talent Quest will take to the hallowed floorboards of the Factory Theatre for an exploration of the (potentially dubious) talents of some of Sydney's most entertaining queer personalities.

So what exactly can one expect?

Nat Caro explained to Concrete Playground: "We know what these artists do to pay the bills, but I want to know what makes them tick! What inspires and brings them joy outside of the hamster wheel that is hustle culture, and who did they used to be..? Like, we all know Gen Fricker is an incredible stand-up comedian but what if she was really good at playing the oboe? Or really bad. Either way I'd pay money to see that. I think people want to see these prominent Sydney queers pull back the curtain!"

The prominent queers in question do indeed include include stand-up star Gen Fricker, as well as podcaster and self-love prophet Kath Ebbs, and musician and Dólar Rosa mastermind Chela ETC, among others.

The Big Queer Talent Quest is produced by GAG, Caro's ongoing comedy event series by QTPOC for QTPOC — their own effort to up the diversity and representation across Australia's comedy community.

"I think for the better half of this century, and still amongst white feminists today, the conversation about diversity in comedy has been hyper-focused on making room for women in the industry. But I'm more preoccupied with putting a spotlight on queer people in comedy," Caro recently told Concrete Playground.

"Specifically on trans people of colour trying to take up space and exist in rooms and stages that were never created for us. That's why GAG is such an important and unique safe space, not only for the queer comedians that perform, but for our queer audiences as well. We don't just cater to the white LGs, but the entire LGBTQIA+ community."