Fist Club
Fringe Bar, 26-32 Allen St, Te Aro, Wellington
06/03/2025 - 08/03/2025
Production Details
Written and produced by Em and Hannah Darling (aka Willy SmacknTush)
The first rule of Fist Club is F@#$ THE PATRIARCHY!
It’s your first meeting of Fist Club, an exclusive underground group of rebel girls & dykonic sapphics who pledge to make men cry and MILF’s out of your mums. Held at a top secret location and hosted by club leader Willy SmacknTush, badges will be earned, initiations witnessed and Herstory made.
After their award winning 2023 Fringe season of “Live Laugh Lesbian” you’re invited back to continue the lesson in how to be gay, do crime and burn the patriarchy to the ground.
The sequel is louder, angrier, and queerer than ever. With more moxie and misandry than you can shake a carabiner at.
Strap up folks.
Part of the NZ Fringe Festival, at The Fringe Bar March 6, 7 and 8 and 9pm
Tickets available at fringe.co.nz : https://tickets.fringe.co.nz/event/446:6179
FB event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BnxZgBd5K/
Performed solo by Hannah Darling (aka Willy SmacknTush)
Performance Art , Cabaret , Theatre ,
50 mins
A beacon of hope, a call to action, a testament to the power of community
Review by Fox Swindells 09th Mar 2025
Fist Club isn’t just a show—it’s a movement.
Led by the magnetic Drag King Willy SmacknTush, the evening pulses with purpose. We all know why we’re here: to smash the patriarchy. And Willy delivers, blending eloquent spoken word, flawless lip-sync performances, stunning dance moves and raw, feminine rage that ignites the crowd.
In a world riddled with hate, discrimination and relentless threats to our bodily autonomy, Willy reminds us that we are not alone. We are part of a community, and it is through community that change is born.
Willy’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary — meticulously rehearsed, brilliantly written, and elevated by impeccable stage design, costumes and music. Yet, what truly sets this show apart isn’t the artistry alone. It’s the spark of hope that Willy and the team ignite within each of us.
Willy’s ability to engage the crowd is masterful. Before the show, he sent out a call for submissions, inviting people to share recordings of what they’re angry about. During the performance, he shares these and opens the floor to the audience, creating a space where everyone’s voice can be heard. This isn’t just a performance — it’s a collective catharsis. By amplifying our voices and validating our rage, Willy makes it clear that Fist Club is about us. It’s about building a community where we feel safe, seen and justified in our anger. The show doesn’t just belong to the performers; it belongs to everyone in the room, a powerful reminder that our stories and struggles matter.
The show crescendos to a spectacular finale, earning a well-deserved standing ovation that feels as much a collective release as it is an appreciation of the craft.
Fist Club isn’t for everyone — and it doesn’t try to be. It’s for those of us who are angry, who are tired and who are searching for hope as the world burns around us. It’s a rallying cry, a reminder that our anger is justified. That we don’t have to swallow our discomfort to appease the status quo. That we are in this together, and building community is the key to dismantling the oppressive systems that seek to grind us down.
As my girlfriend and I leave the show, we are buzzing with energy, discussing ways we could contribute to our own community. Fist Club has done more than entertain us — it had inspired us to act.
Fist Club is more than a show. It’s a beacon of hope, a call to action and a testament to the power of community. It’s everything we need right now.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer




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