The Whore Whisperer – Confessions of a Madam
The Whore Whisperer @ Rhino Room
8:30pm, Wed 27 Feb 2002
Score: 7
Short Review: Educational
What an eye-opener this was. Not being one who partakes in the not-quite-legal brothel industry (no, honest), this was a big insight into the machinations of several Melbourne brothels, as told by ex-brothel receptionist Meshel Laurie.
“Normal”(?) brothels, transexual brothels, and the patrons of said businesses all were subject to close scrutiny… lots of details that you didn’t know, lots you mightn’t want to know (what happens when a “client” shits on the sheets?), and plenty of anecdotes.
The crowd was, in Meshel’s words, “feral” – but very amusingly so. There were a couple of vocal hooker wannabes (or weres?) in the crowd that provided many good heckles, and even better comebacks. Better still, when one 56-year-old woman in the front row was being used as a an example of the distortion of the truth associated with describing the “girls of the house”, Meshel asked her “Do you do arse-licking?”. Her husband (husband!) leapt forth with the reply, “Close. Tell her the truth…”. Wonderful stuff, a performer couldn’t wish for a better crowd.
In the end, this was a pretty funny, though horribly unstructured show. You’ll learn stuff – hell, I probably even blushed at some point which, if you know me, means there’s some pretty rank content. “Bucket”, for example. Well worth a look.
And at least I know what a Roman Shower is now.