Led by Mari Moriarty on piano and vocals, the Transistor Radio Hour vacillates between warm affirmations of identity and more pointed political numbers. With a three-piece band, the show is a balanced mixture of songs formed from verbatim speeches and personal reflections: surprisingly gentle, it is inclusive and intimate.
Fempaths’ musical template is the ballad, delicate melodies that often contrast with their pointed commentary. A speech by activist Martha P. Johnson expresses the show’s intention: a speech by a young trans student becomes a passionate call for freedom of gender expression. Alongside these politically-engaged numbers, tales about ex-lovers and sexual abilities round out the hour, articulating a desire to be socially conscious without losing the personal touch.
Moriarty, as Fempath, is a witty songwriter, not afraid to stray into erotically-charged material and quickly establishes a connection with the audience: only a moment when comments written by the audience are incorporated into a song hits the wrong note, sounding patronising and dismissive. The storytelling elements are cursive but contextualise the music, and it is only the deliberate relaxed atmosphere that inhibits this show from achieving a dynamic vitality: its juxtaposition of ideas and identity, however, offers a bracing, entertaining and humorous hour.
Fempaths: Transistor Radio Hour, Underbelly Bristo Square, until 30 Aug, 8.45pm