Tell it to Tawdry Heartburn

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Written by Gavin McGuren

Wednesday, 03 February 2010 11:06

Tawdry Heartburn is the latest manifestation of the many alter egos of Perth performing artist, James Berlyn, whose previous larger than life incarnations include the likes of Crystal Balls, Farrah Fawcett of 'Hairquake fame', and Donna Frock. Make no mistake, however, Tawdry may be a qualified nail technician but he is all male.

The man who once upstaged Rue Paul by a good 15 centimetres (of wig) is inviting anyone with a personal crisis, past or present, to pop into the Beck’s Music Box during the Perth International Arts Festival and “get it off your chest” over a nice manicure. If you have a ticket to one of the many Music Box events or plan to attend any of the free festival events to be found there every night on the late side, then get yourself an appointment.

James Berlyn as Tawdry Heartburn

Tawdry will professionally paint and polish your nails, James tells us, while inviting you to consider divulging an anonymous secret via his collection of antique typewriters. Cough up your darkest secrets and type out your innermost thoughts onto some note paper—anonymously of course—and slip it quietly into the supplied confessional box. Your deepest desires, grandest heartbreaks and most perverse passions will then become part of an art installation for the duration of the festival. Should you by some chance develop an addiction to unburdening your soul, you'll be invited to join Tawdry's Facebook page and become a Twitter follower.

Tawdry Heartburn’s Manic Cures is James Berlyn's most recent work and premiered in 2008 at Connections nightclub. It later won the jury prize for the most innovative show at the Putting on an Act season 2009 at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. Tawdry will be at the Beck's Music Box down on the foreshore every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF). Go on, you know you want to...