Em Rusciano returning to Canberra with a bang (and glitter and puppets and inflatables and soundscapes and smells, Oh My!)
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The last time Em Rusciano appeared in Canberra, she stood behind a podium to give a very serious speech on neurodivergence at The National Press Club.
When she appears on stage at The Canberra Theatre on Saturday 17 August there will a sensory extravaganza involving glitter, music, singing, soundscapes, smells and sights as well as “things dropping from the ceiling”, puppets, and large inflatable props on stage (most likely to include a giant penis but Em refuses to confirm nor deny at this stage).
So, a little bit different from the Press Club.
For all of her career as a stand-up comic, Em has “reined it in”.
But when her “Outgrown” national tour takes place between July and August, Em is truly embracing and unmasking all that she is (a chaotic force of nature), and delivering all that she has to give to audiences.
And yes, a lot of it will revolve around neurodivergence and the fact that since her last national tour in 2019 of “Rage and Rainbows” Em has undergone the surprise diagnostic trifecta of ADHD, Autism and behind door number three: early menopause.
Once she picked herself up off the ground (it took one to two business working years) she set about exploring what all of this meant, and her new show considers in a hilarious, searing and multi-sensory way, the beauty that can emerge, after everything has been burned to the ground.
And it will be delivered with the trademark talent and showwomanship which has earned Em a legion of fans and a place among the country’s top rank of entertainers.
Some first met Em as the young new mum, battling it out on The Voice, and she went on to forge a career on radio and TV and as an author of a best-selling book Try Hard: Tales from the Life of a Needy Overachiever.
But it is her award-winning podcast ‘Emsolation’ which has allowed Em to reach her fullest potential as a “magic brain” social commentator as much across politics as she is across pop culture.
Em’s social media community is fierce, loud, and passionately loyal. With a Facebook following of over 280,000 fans and 240,000 on Instagram, she has a weekly social media reach of up to 10 million.
And she is hoping at least some of them will buy tickets to see her in person on her national tour. Tickets go on sale to the general public today at 10 am and while there were a few hiccups with the pre-sale to subscribers, Em says everything has been nailed down and she is ready to receive you!
She also notes that even if people are unfamiliar with her work, her show will resonate with women, the AFAB and LGBTQI+ community (as well the brave legion of straight men who just find her hilarious and aren’t afraid to show up).
“Not a lot been made for women over 35 or 40 unless it’s pointing out all the negative shit. So I want to create an environment where we feel like it’s a church but it’s not religious.”
Deciding that she is going all out on this one, “Outgrown” promises to redefine the theatre experience with an immersive show which Em says will go some way to helping people “stroll through my mind” and be riotous good fun journey along the way.
THE ESSENTIALS
What: Em Rusciano in Outgrown
When Saturday 17 August
Where: Canberra Theatre
Web: canberratheatrecentre.com.au (on sale Tuesday 23 April from 10 am)