Geraldine Quinn’s Bastard Joy is the sleeper hit you’ll kick yourself for missing. A chaotic left turn and one of FRINGE WORLD’s jewels hiding in plain sight.

Returning to Perth with a show that’s part music doco, part hyperpop cabaret, part unhinged club night, Quinn skewered the vanity project with precision, affection and a raised eyebrow. Bastard Joy unpacked the reality of making ambitious art later in life: shrinking resources, oversized ideas, legacy pressure (particularly for women), and the gulf between what artists dream up and what actually makes it to the stage. The result was hilarious because it’s true, and sharp because Quinn knows exactly where to land the blow.

Her humour is dry, deliberate and devastatingly effective. This is comedy that trusts the audience to keep up. Beneath the absurdity is a pointed examination of creativity and resilience, delivered by a celebrated cabaret artist who has seen a few things. Having recently turned 50, Quinn radiated a hard-won vibrancy that gave the show gravitas beneath the glitter.

Musically, Bastard Joy hit like a sugar rush on a dancefloor; it’s a synth-drenched mash-up of electroclash, hyperpop and cabaret that felt far more like a sweaty club night. The costuming cranked up the chaos, escalating from the mundane (paper bag) to full-blown camp delirium involving a flock of rubber chickens. While the finale was gloriously absurd, it could have landed with even more impact had Quinn leaned into a live vocal moment.

That minor note aside, Quinn owned the room, dragging the audience into her weird, wonderful orbit and sending them out fizzing. This is the show you text the group chat about. Trust me, buy the ticket for a true FRINGE WORLD experience.