Mardi Gras Fair Day 2008

Rainbow Boy

Fair Day is one of the key events of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. It is actually the most inclusive and diverse program of the festival. Kids run around with their straight and gay parents. Dogs sniff and play with others. Friends and families drink and BBQ together while watching stage entertainments. Dressed-up queens gracefully glide to demonstrate their pride of beauty. Half-naked men and, sometimes, women lie on the ground, flirt with each other and finally end up on the dance floor.

Although it does not sound different from previous years, essentially, this social event is for the people to hang around in Victoria Park for a picnic as one community once a year.

Mochit 2 Revisit

This is post 30 of 38 in the series “Thailand Trip 2007”

This trip was the first time I visited Thailand since I moved to Sydney in 2001. That was a very long time for an ex-pat to return to homeland.
My view to the country changed around the use of the medium of that time–photography. And I also started to use it as video projects.
Bangkok, I still love this fucking city.

  1. Bangkok Connection
  2. Thai Election Kicks Off
  3. Mochit 2
  4. Bangkok Express
  5. Rayong Birds
  6. Talad Thep Chinda
  7. 9 Days in the Kingdom
  8. FAT Festival
  9. FAT Concert
  10. Sticky Tuk Tuk
  11. Birthday Merit
  12. Feed the Fish
  13. Moonlight with DH
  14. Patpong for the King
  15. Paul’s Birthday
  16. Step – Stylish Nonsense
  17. Trading Buddhas
  18. Grand Palace
  19. The Unstoppable Samak
  20. Likay Portraits
  21. Vanishing Marshland
  22. Talk to the Other Side
  23. Bangkok Daybreak
  24. Residencies of Gods
  25. 10 Years Tom Yum Goong Disease
  26. Demolishing Old House
  27. Constructing Bangkok
  28. Not Far from Home
  29. The Lost Three Gems in the City of Gods
  30. Mochit 2 Revisit
  31. Mobility of Faith
  32. Home Song Satellite
  33. Lost in Transportation
  34. Go with the Flow
  35. Error Ferris Wheel
  36. Thailand Random Symmetry
  37. Day and Night at Siam Square
  38. Trap Doors

Back to Thailand trip months ago, I and Stilgherrian had a day trip to Rayong for lunch with my parents. It was Stil’s only day outside the Greater Bangkok. We decided not to commission a taxi and take a much cheaper bus. Therefore I got a chance to be back at Mochit 2, the largest bus terminal in the city.

Bus Patrol

Che, We Loves the King
Che, We Loves the King

Steward
Steward

On Board
On Board

Luggages
Luggages

Stretching
Stretching

Crossing through
Crossing through

 

 

Crossing through
Crossing through

Catching a Bus
Catching a Bus

Killing Time
Killing Time

Getting Bored
Getting Bored

The Fabulous Punch and Judy Show

It’s dark, kinky and funny. The Fabulous Punch and Judy Show is the Aussie extreme adaptation of this classic puppet show. This medley of sex and murder scenes portrays the violence and turns into cabaret as if out of this world. On the other hand, they could be found in the news every day: wife beating, child raping, gay bashing and so on.

No wonder why I felt very intense after the first time visiting this play as a photographer on the final run-through. While I was concentrating on visions through the camera, the violence came straight into my brain without diluting with punch lines. It is a comedy, anyhow. Once I saw it again as an audience on the opening night, I could laugh with its wits and outrages. The surreal tone went along perfectly with the wacky performances. Especially, the cover version of Aussie pop classic was the most adorable.

The Fabulous Punch and Judy Show is a part of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2008 and currently playing at Cleveland Street Theatre until 29 February.