Jessi Ryan
ABOUT THE SHOW
Hot off the back of their Melbourne International Comedy Festival season Jessi Ryan, returns to Melt for the first time since 2018.
A fusion of storytelling, performance art, filth, provocation and tears, Functional Bottom is a darkly humorous exploration of a year in the life of Jessi Ryan – artiste, journalist and hot f#%king mess.
How else do you to respond to an ‘anus horribilis’ in the era of the neo-Nazi, including nearly dying on the emergency room table, colon removal and the death of their scat-loving sugar daddy?
“Artistic firebrand” (The Age) Jessi Ryan turns to art, sex, truth-telling and maybe a cheeky nang to burn this mother-f#%king trash pile to the ground. It’s time to take stock of their self-medication carnival, crawl back from the abyss and get to the bottom of it all.
Directed by Anna Piper Scott, and likely the only comedy show to feature a colostomy bag as a supporting actress, it explores love, survival and the art of clinging on with exquisitely manicured fingernails.
With countless national and international credits to their name, Ryan also has a formidable reputation for their journalistic work, including multiple award nominations.
Strap yourselves in, raw, unapologetic, messy and chaotic, nothing is off limits, and rubber gloves are optional.
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS
References to: Hate Speech, Nazis, Sex Work, Misgendering, Medical Trauma
PART OF MELT FESTIVAL
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jessi Ryan (they/them) has been creating performance and exhibitions for the past 20 years, both locally, nationally and abroad- in this time collaborating with a huge number of artists from a broad cross section of cultural backgrounds, they made their comedic debut in 2024 with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. As a journalist they have written for and been published by some of Australia’s leading arts and news editorial across the last 10 years-and was recognised as a finalist for Globe Community Media Award in 2021. Ryan has also taken photos for a number of print and online publications.
PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES
VENUE
TICKETS
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Suitable for ages 18+
Contains adult themes
Contains coarse language
Contains sexual references
Contains drug references
