What's On

Best Newcomer nominee at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sunanda, brings back their sold-out show, SUNANDA LOVES BRITNEY for an encore season at Melbourne Fringe Festival’s hub.

Sunanda loves Britney. Sunanda has always loved Britney. One might even say that Sunanda is obsessed with Britney, not quite in a leave-Britney-alone-2007-YouTube-Chris-Crocker way (although that was pretty gay) but more in a be-my-life- partner-or-I-will-die-and-seriously-Sunanda-is-so-gay-and- Britney-is-lighting-the-pathway-to-self-realization way. Who else could a queer Indian kid living in Thailand turn to in the late 90’s for refuge but the Princess of Pop?

It took Sunanda about a decade to realize that they didn’t want to BE Britney, they wanted to DO Britney and this is where the show begins. What comes next is a shit-storm of family drama, confusion, blonde-girl-addiction and lesbian-ing on a Vespa.

Directed by international powerhouse Candy Bowers.

 “...tender, fun and intimidating as hell - Sunanda is paradoxically both disarming and skilled at keeping her audience on the edge of their seats.” - Weekend Notes

“...Powerhouse performer...” - Chortle

“Sunanda is such a funny and magnetic performer with a unique, commanding comedic voice... someone on the precipice of big things.” - Lucia Aniello (Emmy-winning Director/Writer of Hacks) 

BIOS

Sunanda is exploding all over Melbourne as a comedian, actor, writer, clown and radio host. They were created in New Delhi, corrupted in Bangkok, came out in New York, came out (again... as a comedian) in Los Angeles, and moved here in 2019 for the lockdowns love. This year, they received a highly coveted Best Newcomer nomination at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and co-starred in several Screen Australia and VicScreen funded digital series. Sunanda is also developing their own digital series (Falamity, Stoned Alone) after participating in AFTRS Talent Camp 2022. They also received a Green Room Award for Best Variety Show for their role in TAKEBACK! They regularly perform stand up around Melbourne and clown with the award- winning groups, PO PO MO CO and The Wholesome Hour. They performed sketch and improv in Los Angeles at the Upright Citizens Brigade and The Groundlings. Sunanda was also a writer for the prestigious CBS Diversity Sketch Showcase and in their previous life as a producer, worked with Broad City, Amy Poehler, Reggie Watts, and members of the SNL cast among others.

Candy Bowers is an international mischief-maker working across stage, screen and media for over 20 years. She won the Green Room Award for Best Variety Show 2022 for TAKEBACK! which she directed and produced. Candy has featured as an actor in a range of Aussie Comedy projects including Tonightly with Tom Ballard, Metrosexual and Get Krack!n. She is currently writing and collaborating on a couple new shows: Fresh! (Freemantle), JOY The Musical (Mischief Media) and Dirty Thirties (Screen Australia). In 2018 she won the Mentor LA fellowship (Screen Australia/ AiF) and worked on Disney’s family sitcom Mixedish. In 2020 she won the AWG/Audible Amazon On Air scripted podcast (comedy) competition and is currently developing her script for television. Candy has written, performed, and directed stand up and musical comedy in Australia, Los Angeles, Edinburgh, London and South Africa.