Look out Adelaide –– our favourite Greek Goddess is returning to the Fringe. After missing the 2023 Fringe, Effie is returning with her brand new show, Effie in UpYourselfness.
Effie will be kicking off her national tour of this new hilarious show at the Adelaide Fringe, where she will be inviting audiences to tackle the hard questions and to find a means to define ourselves through humanity’s ongoing identity crisis…the Greek way — with healthy debate.
The creative mind behind Effie, Mary Coustas, spoke recently to Glam Adelaide’s Arts Editor, Ben Stefanoff. It’s nice to hear that Adelaide has such a special place in Mary’s heart.
“It’s so weird growing up in Melbourne. We always had relatives in Adelaide and I remember one year we joked, ‘Let’s go to Adelaide for coffee’ — like it was a suburb. One year when I was little, we just listened to Cat Stevens the whole time on the drive. It was when Cat Stevens was at his peak. Now I’ve got this group of besties that live in Adelaide, who I adore. Every year when I come out to do a show at the Fringe, my daughter asks if we are going to Adelaide to see our friends and do the tree climb, which she loves doing. We love Adelaide. It seems to be one of the best kept secrets in the country.”
Last year, Mary embarked on a huge solo tour, This is Personal. Unlike past tours, This Is Personal was personal for Mary. It stripped away the big hair and sequined outfits and gave audiences an unforgettable insight into the woman behind the infamous and iconic Effie.
“It has been a difficult show to perform because it’s a big show that’s very emotional — it’s as funny as it is sad, and that’s tricky. It’s not linear and it took a while to put it together. I worked very closely with my good friend and script writer Chris Anastassiades who helped me structurally tell the story in a way that wasn’t predictable, because I like my audiences to stay active when they watch. Audiences are so sophisticated these days; they can see where something is going. I’m not a fan of creating something that only means something to me. I’m very devoted to the experience that my audiences are going to have, and that is personal to them. This Is Personal really evoked a lot of things for the audience that would remain active in them beyond seeing the show, and that’s what I hoped it would do.”
Effie has become a huge part of people’s lives and Mary shared how she’s noticed people’s relationships with her change the more they get to know Effie.
“It really depends on people’s relationship with the character. There are people that have just loved her from the beginning and are loyal to how they met her — it’s almost like falling in love. Many people that see all my stage shows know that Effie’s not a nostalgic act, but might have some nostalgia for the character.”
With many shows and tours over the years, Mary spoke about how she goes about creating new material for Effie.
“I always think through what the audience is going through generally. There are evergreen topics, and they’re the ones that I want to talk about — like family, relationships, money, sexuality, how we socialise. I look at things that every single person has to deal with every day. I’ve done that a lot in every show that I’ve done up till now. The last Effie tour was COVID, which is the one issue that we all shared.”
On March 9 and 10, Effie is returning to the Fringe in her brand new show Effie in UpYourselfness in the Garden of Unearthly Delights.
“This new show is about how everyone is becoming so policed and judgmental around how we relate to each other. When did we become so sensitive? If humour is about truth, then can we be truthful? The show is super funny, but I think it will also force different perspectives — it’s super relevant to what we’re inheriting every day and how language is changing and behaviour is changing. But do human beings really change? When Effie speaks her mind, the audience just latches on — they listen. She’s got this great way of just connecting with people and through what she has to say. Even I get blown away by that.”
Anyone who has seen Effie perform knows that the magic lies in the moments where she goes off script and talks to her audience directly, letting Mary’s skills in improv shine through.
“The scripted side of the show is there to deconstruct the issue through a lens about herself, to therefore give the audience confidence. ‘If Effie can say that, then so can I’. It gives them the permission to open up and relax. Some people who haven’t seen me or Effie perform much think the audience members I speak to are planted, but they are not. It’s all live and unscripted.”
Effie, aka Mary Coustas, will be performing in the Spiegeltent in the Garden Of Unearthly Delights on March 9 and 10 at 7pm. For further details on Effie in UpYourselfness and to book, visit: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/effie-in-upyourselfness-af2024 .
Photo credit: supplied
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