Vyshnavee Wijekumar

In this funny, heartwarming and heartbreaking one-person cabaret show, Tomáš Kantor brings to life the story of a sugar baby who survives a traumatic encounter with a client that, in the moment, makes them question their self-worth, but ultimately acts a catalyst for fighting for their right to be who they are in public spaces. So, what if Julia Roberts was a gender-fluid twink in Pretty Woman? There have been many adaptations of the Pygmalion myth in film; the most notable being Pretty Woman and My Fair Lady. In Sugar, this notion of refinement through superficial transformation becomes a battle for authentic gender expression and being true to yourself.You can’t make a show about sex work without mentioning one of the most iconic cinematic characters of all time. The experience of Julia Roberts’ Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman is almost idealised by Kantor's Sugar, and the show references the movie heavily. There’s a moment where the titular character is shunned by a shop assistant at a high-end clothing store, and even in the costuming, Kantor wears a white body suit, blue pants and a blond wig, a subtle reference to one of Roberts’ most recognisable ensembles in the movie. In some ways, this familiar narrative arc lures the audience in, only to upend their expectations with a much more hurtful, less romantic outcome. What is Sugar about and who’s involved? When Sugar decides to engage in the world of 'transactional relationships', they bite off more than they can chew. It ini