Comedian Ashley Apap presents Ouch! for two performance seasons, the first being for the Melbourne Fringe Rebound Festival on March 2 (Auslan interpreted), 4 and 6 at the Trades Hall Common Rooms Lounge at 9pm.
Then for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Ashley presents Ouch! on March 16 and 17 at TIC Swanston (The Nicholas Building) and from March 31 – April 10 at The Improv. Conspiracy Theatre, Level 1, 19 Meyers Place.
For half of her life, Ashley has plastered on a forced smile and pushed down her chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis, joint dysfunction and generalised anxiety, which she believes are all linked.
Ashley will use sketch comedy to display uncomfortably comical situations she worries she will one day encounter, dissecting the fear of judgement and disbelief about her conditions, how isolating it can be to know you’re missing out on experiences and society’s expectations that sick people must brand themselves with their conditions to feel deserving of help.
Transforming into absurd characters, Ashley will use her musical chops to bring audiences into the often farcical experiences of her pain.
Ashley has performed on stages around Australia and in the US.
Performance Details:
• Melbourne Fringe Rebound Festival: March 2, 4 and 6 at the Trades Hall Common Rooms Lounge at 9.00pm. Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au
• Melbourne International Comedy Festival: March 16, 17 at TIC Swanston (The Nicholas Building) and March 31 – April 10 at The Improv. Conspiracy Theatre, Level 1, 19 Meyers Place, Melbourne.

• Cheryl Threadgold