After taking Australia by storm and smashing box office records at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and 2025, the award-winning ogre-inspired burlesque and drag parody, Swamplesque, returns to Perth for its final season. With a smorgasbord of performance styles in store, the show promises a night of laughter, surprises and a touch of risqué. The show will hit WAREHOUSE at Ice Cream Factory from Tuesday, February 3, to Sunday, February 15, with tickets on sale now. Natasha Paul sat down with Swamplesque producer and ogre extraordinaire Trigger Happy to find out more about the show’s hilarious reimagining of Shrek, the talented Swamplesque cast, and what’s next for the much-loved burlesque show.
Congratulations on bringing your Shrek-inspired burlesque and drag parody show, Swamplesque, to Fringe World Perth! How do you feel about the show returning for its final Perth season?
We are genuinely thrilled to be bringing Swamplesque back to Perth. The show actually debuted at Fringe World in 2020, so returning six years later after touring nationally and internationally feels incredibly special. Perth audiences were there at the very beginning, so closing out this chapter here feels full circle in the best possible way.
The show is undoubtedly unique in its combination of drag, comedy and ogre-inspired burlesque! What do you think audiences will enjoy most about the show this year?
Swamplesque really does have something for everyone. It’s chaotic, camp and completely over the top, but it’s also very intentional and finely tuned. Since the last Perth season in 2024, we’ve levelled the show up again with new costumes, new characters and sharper storytelling. Audiences can expect a bigger, bolder and even more unhinged version than ever before.
What was the process like of transforming the much-loved Shrek narrative into a comedic burlesque and adults-only show?
I’ve been performing my original ogre act since 2017, and in 2019 I decided to expand it into a full show featuring all the iconic characters and moments people love. The first iteration was very scrappy. It played in a 94-seat comedy room at the Brisbane Hotel, but it quickly developed a cult following. As the show moved into larger venues and major festivals, we knew we had to elevate everything. We invested heavily in costuming, promotional photography and videography, and spent months in the rehearsal room refining the show. Over the years it has continued to evolve, and what audiences will see at Fringe World is without a doubt the strongest and most polished version of Swamplesque yet.
Swamplesque is set to feature a talented cast, including Trigger Happy, Tash York, Henny Spaghetti and Rainbow, and showcase a range of performance styles. What do you feel this cast brings to the show, and are there any standout performances?
The cast is truly what makes Swamplesque so special. Every performer is world-class and brings their full, authentic self to the stage each night. We were very intentional about creating a cast that represents a wide range of ages, bodies, genders and performance styles. This is a stage where everyone is celebrated, and that energy is something audiences really connect with. Every performer has their own standout moments, and together they create something incredibly powerful and joyful.
Swamplesque smashed box office records at Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and 2025 and won the Best Cabaret Weekly Award in 2023. How does it feel now to be performing the show after its immense international success?
The past two years have been a complete whirlwind. Taking Swamplesque international for the first time in 2024 at Edinburgh Fringe was huge. Going from a small Fringe World show to the largest arts festival in the world felt surreal. Then in 2025, we performed a season in London’s West End before returning to Edinburgh, where we sold out 24 of 26 shows and moved over 20,000 tickets in just three weeks. That was the moment we really understood how special this show is and how deeply it connects with audiences around the world.
With Swamplesque entering its final season, what’s next for Trigger Happy Productions? Do you have any other new shows in the works?
While this is the closing Perth season for Swamplesque, the story is far from over. Just one week after Fringe World wraps, we open Swamplesque 2 at Adelaide Fringe. And as everyone knows, the sequel is always better than the original. Perth audiences won’t miss out either. We’ll be back in May for the Perth Comedy Festival with Swamplesque 2 at the Regal Theatre, and we can’t wait to bring the next chapter to life.
Swamplesque hits WAREHOUSE at Ice Cream Factory from Tuesday, February 3, to Sunday, February 15, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au
