LYIN’ AND SCHEMING

Meet actor Tessa Sutton, Jacqui Lambie’s alter-ego in Hobart’s new Uni Revue

Actor Tessa Sutton jokes that when it comes to performing in Tasmania’s annual Uni Revue she’s become somewhat typecast. She made her Uni Revue debut in 2017 playing One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, and this year Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie is her alter-ego.

“I have always found myself playing fairly rough-around-the-edges female politicians,’’ the 21-year-old from West Hobart laughs. “I’m playing Jacqui Lambie this year and I absolutely love it.’’

Now in its 72nd year, the annual variety extravaganza is lewd, rude and frequently nude, casting a satirical eye over the local, national and international news that has shaped the past 12 months, and presents the big issues as a series of ridiculous songs and sketches.

This year’s show is The Lyin’ King, an idea one of the directors, Zeb Dwyer, has had in the back of his mind for many years. And Sutton explains that this year, with the release of the revamped The Lion King movie and Lion King Ooshies being handed out in Woolworths stores across the country, was the perfect time to unleash it.

Sutton says the revue is a world away from other musical theatre roles she’s had in the past — but that’s exactly why she loves being part of the popular and long-running show.

“I love the aspect of the music and the humour together,’’ she says. She also loves that the politicians the performers parody are often sitting in the audience.

She still remembers attending her first Uni Revue as an audience member when she was 15, and then premier Lara Giddings was sitting in front of her.

“They were making jokes about her on stage and she was such a good sport, cackling away and having the time of her life,’’ she recalls. “It’s so interesting that they’re right there watching. I remember thinking ‘wow, that’s crazy’.’’

Sutton started singing lessons at age 11. “That very quickly morphed into a love for musical theatre,’’ she says. “So I started dancing and acting as well, and then did the Old Nick Company summer school, and it never stopped.’’

This will be her third consecutive Uni Revue, and she loves working with familiar faces, including about 20 performers, a small band, a couple of crew members, two directors and a choreographer.

“In Hobart you tend to do shows with the same people because it’s a small community,’’ Sutton says. “A lot of the people I do shows with I went to school with or went to ExitLeft [performing arts school] with, or went to dancing with or we have mutual friends. It’s very fun.’’

Traditionally, the season starts in Hobart in May and later moves to Launceston, but things have been done in reverse this year and pushed out by a few weeks to cater for the closure of Hobart’s Theatre Royal earlier this year for renovations.

See The Lyin’ King at Launceston’s Princess Theatre tonight at 8pm and at Hobart’s Theatre Royal from September 10-21 at 8pm (no shows on Sundays). Tickets are $39 adults, $34 concession. The show is recommended for ages 15+. oldnick.org.au