By Shelby Brooks
Growing up in the South East suburbs hasn’t hindered singer and drag performer Brenda Bressed.
Brenda, aka Bryce Gibson, was born and bred in Endeavour Hills and credits a creative childhood in the South East suburbs to sparking their journey into the art of drag.
That journey is being showcased in Brenda’s first solo cabaret night, hosted as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival next month.
“I always wanted to do a night where it’s just me and I get to sing a whole bunch of songs I love,” Brenda said.
An Evening with Brenda will be performed in a theatrette at the Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda 14 to the 16 October.
“I am a singer, so the night is filled with music, laughs, comedy, magic, puppetry and more,” Brenda said.
“The show tells the story of little old me, growing up in the South East suburb of Endeavour Hills, and highlights the ins and outs of a little gay boy trying to navigate his artist’s brain.”
Brenda said once she started writing the show, all the facets of her childhood started to appear.
“I found myself writing about growing up and all of the things I did as a creative individual in Endeavour Hills,” she said.
“I had so many different hobbies and instruments and things I would fixate on for a period of time and then move onto the next thing.
“Things like I had a phase I was obsessed with magic, then I was obsessed with puppets and making puppets, then the piano accordion and yodelling.”
Brenda said she used to be embarrassed when her family brought up her strange childhood phases.
“But all those things I did really gave me the skills to be the performer I am today, so I wrote the show to be more of a celebration of what I’ve done,” Brenda said.
“Each of those phases I’ve revisited in the show and presenting them from a much more refined perspective.
“It’s a celebration of music, of individuality and all those random things I did growing up.”
Singing has been the one constant hobby that Bryce has always participated in, even studying voice in VCE.
It was with Cardinia-based performing group CPAC Musical Theatre using those vocal talents, that the Brenda persona first appeared in Bryce.
“The first time I ever did drag was in CPAC’s production of Kinky Boots in 2019,” she said.
“When I finished Kinky Boots I was sad I wasn’t going to be able to do drag anymore.
“And then I was like, yes I can, I can keep going.”
Since then, Brenda has evolved into a fully-fledged character and has performed across Melbourne at various events and gigs.
“It was only really at the start of this year that I started incorporating my singing into my drag,” Brenda said.
“Ever since I started doing that I’ve found in myself my brand is flourishing and I’m really getting to know who Brenda is.”
To get tickets to An Evening with Brenda, head to melbournefringe.com.au
