THE TRUTH IS, DISCO NEVER WENT AWAY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IT WAS MADE BY AND FOR NEVER WENT AWAY.

We’d love to start right at the beginning of your love of comedy and cabaret – can you recall the moment when you sensed that you wanted to perform?
I think I have probably always been a show off. My grandparents used to manage a pub when I was three and there is a story of a night I got up with the band and sang ‘Locomotion’… And then told the singer in the band off when she started to join in. 

You’re bringing your production Hans: Disco Spektakulär! to this year’s MELT Festival. Can you shed some insight into what the audience can expect?
I like to think of my show as that moment in the Wizard Of Oz when Dorothy walks through the door of her house and the film goes from sepia to colour. It’s a night of glitter and laughs and a fabulous way to escape reality… Plus there’s boys in hot pants. What more could you want? 

What inspired the birth of Hans the German?
Hans is really a combination of a lot of the comedy and shows I grew up watching as a kid. Ab Fab, Bob Downe, Madonna, Bette Midler, Spice Girls, Kylie. As a child, whenever my parents would have guests over the house, I would insist on putting on a concert for them and really, I’m still just doing the same thing! 

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What is the secret behind Hans’ success? Why do you think Berlin’s boy-wonder continues to resonate with audiences?
I think, and I hope, that as Hans I have the ability to laugh at myself. And then when I can do that, and the audience sees that I’m willing to do that, they’re put at ease and is more comfortable laughing at everything around them, including themselves. Hans really as a way at pointing out the absurdity of the world around us all. 

Did disco ever really die? What do you think draws us irresistibly back to these high-camp musical genres?
Disco never died in my house!!! First of all, it is GREAT to dance to. But I think the whole “disco is dead” movement is actually so interesting. When you look at the origins of disco, who was it that made it popular? Gay people and black people. It was a reaction to the 1960s and it brought people together in nightclubs. But, you know, there’s always going to be a section of the community who are threatened when they see people getting  what they perceive as a bit more “power”. Disco embraced open sexualities and mixing of races. It’s everything hardcore conservatives are threatened by. But the truth is, disco never went away because the people it was made by and for never went away. 

Do you believe celebrating queer culture and art through festivals like MELT is important? Why?
I think for the same reasons as my last answer. In many ways, queer people have so much more than we had years ago. I find myself feeling very lucky to be living in the times we are in now. We’re all so much more aware of health issues, things like HIV are far less stigmatised than 20 and even 10 years ago. We can get married (though that still hasn’t really helped any dating life).

But with all the advances for our community, there are still so many new challenges popping up and a lot of that is driven by this ultra-right sector of the wider community whose voice is becoming stronger and stronger. So I think festivals like MELT are not only important, they’re essential to keep the conversation going.

The moment we get too comfortable, that’s when rights start disappearing and there are a lot of people out there who want things to go backwards. 

Are there any acts at MELT, aside from yourself, that you’re dying to see?
Oh gosh!! There’s SO much I could list the whole program. Leather Lungs is BRILLIANT. Mark Trevorrow and Rupert Noffs singing Stephen Sondheim in Old Friends is an essential. But I always say at festivals, go and see you’ve never heard of before as well and take a punt. That’s when you find the gold!

You’ve performed around Australia and the world. How does Brisbane compare? Is there anything you’re looking forward to seeing or doing while you’re here?
Well, this will actually be my first ever time performing in Brisbane. We took the show around Queensland last year and loved it, but for some reason Brisbane didn’t happen on that tour. So I’m very excited to finally see what Brissy audiences have in store.

Aside from singing and dancing, what do you like to do to unwind in your free time?
I would be lying if I didn’t say I watch a healthy amount of trashy television. Two words: Real and Housewives. And I’m talking from any city. I think there’s something very soothing about watching rich women scream at each other for an hour.