Amazing Babes is back for 2022! One of EWF’s favourite performance events, this year we’re thrilled to be joined by seven Amazing Babes, who in turn, will share stories about the Amazing Babes that have influenced them, inspired them, cared for them, and shared with them. We sat down with just a few of the babes who will appear at the event on Monday 20 June, to learn a little more about what to expect!

URVI MAJUMDAR

Image of Urvi Majumdar's Grandma

Hello! Can you introduce yourself to the EWF Blog?
Hi! I’m Urvi, I’m a writer, comedian and producer living in Naarm. I love literature and the community that EWF fosters and I’ve been a big fan since I studied arts at Uni. I’ve been a teacher and public servant before landing my dream job at Footscray Community Arts where I’m now a senior producer. I also love stand up and recently performed my first solo show at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Through stand-up I’ve discovered many opportunities for screen writing and acting and I feel very blessed to contribute to and work in the arts scene here.

For those unfamiliar with your work what’s a piece of your writing/media you’d like audiences to consume to get to know you and your work better?
Here’s an essay I wrote for Cordite and a clip of me performing although I still low key cringe at recordings of myself.

When you see the words ‘Amazing Babes’ what comes to mind?
Strong, funny, empathetic and opinionated women who have plenty of style and live authentically! (No Pressure!)

Without giving too much away can you describe the Amazing Babe you’ve chosen to honour in 3 words?
Feminist, vulnerable and mangos…

What song do you connect most to your Amazing Babe?
Bengali songs by Rabindranath Tagore.

Finally, other than Amazing Babes, what EWF events are you most looking forward to?
‘Same River Twice’ at Footscray Community Arts, Masterclass: Fiction and Liminal Spaces!

CARISSA LEE

Hello! Can you introduce yourself to the EWF Blog?
Kaya! My name is Carissa Lee. I’m a Noongar writer and actor based in Narrm.

For those unfamiliar with your work what’s a piece of your writing/media you’d like audiences to consume to get to know you and your work better?
That’s a tough one. I’d say Witness Performance has a lot of the writing I’m most proud of, particularly Why Australian theatre needs intersectionality, On making art from the pain of women, and Art and Absence.

When you see the words ‘Amazing Babes’ what comes to mind?
It makes me think of the awesome people I have in my life who inspire me to feel comfortable in my own skin and sometimes weird brain. Amazing Babes are the people who not only support the people around them, but make sure they’re doing what’s right for them, too. As Amazing Babes like Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Ash Barty and Simone Biles have shown us, being awesome is not just about what we can achieve, but knowing when to choose ourselves over everything.

Without giving too much away can you describe the Amazing Babe you’ve chosen to honour in 3 words?
Funny, loyal and kind.

What song do you connect most to your Amazing Babe?
Nothing to Remember – Neko Case.

Finally, other than Amazing Babes, what EWF events are you most looking forward to?
I’m really looking forward to all of the playlists (Playlist: Haunt) being posted! I’m a sucker for writing music.
I’m also excited about coven, Writing your World, By My Bed and Same River Twice.

LEILA LOIS

Hello! Can you introduce yourself to the EWF Blog?
Hello, I’m Leila. I’m a dancer and writer of Kurdish and Celtic origin, based Naarm/ Melbourne. I grew up in Aotearoa and UK and have lived here for almost four years.

For those unfamiliar with your work what’s a piece of your writing/media you’d like audiences to read/listen to/watch to get to know you and your work better?
I write mostly articles and poetry and I love to integrate this with dance. I write a lot about personal landscapes and narratives, of love, loss and all that’s in between. My writing and dancing can be viewed on my website but a recent poem that is quite representative of my work was published in Cordite earlier this year and can be viewed here.

When you see the words ‘Amazing Babes’ what comes to mind?
It sounds like something you might say to someone you love, in a sisterly kind of way: ‘…that poem was amazing, babes.’ Which reminds me of the poem ‘In the company of women’, by January Gill O’Neil. How important is laughter and small happiness, when shared with friends… how important that we as writers raise each other up.

I also think of the amazing femme writers that have inspired and raised me up on many occasions in my life. To name just a few: Ada Limón, Gabrielle Bates, Eunice Andrada (contemporary) and Françoise Sagan, Jean Rhyss and Anaïs Nin. They are all total amazing babes in so many ways.

Without giving too much away can you describe the Amazing Babe you’ve chosen to honour in 3 words?
This was so hard for me to choose as there are too many amazing babes in the world. But there is one (who will be on the panel) whose second collection was a source of solace for me personally as well as inspiration for my writing. This amazing babe is Eunice Andrada.

In three words: wildfire, honey and strength.

What song do you connect most to your Amazing Babe?
Anything on her gorgeous playlist for TAKE CARE.

But especially Sevdaliza, because she’s a fierce Kurdish singer and I love her too.

Finally, other than Amazing Babes, what EWF events are you most looking forward to?
So looking forward to Opening Night. <3

ANA MARIA GOMIDES

Hello! Can you introduce yourself to the EWF Blog?
wassup MTV EWF this is Ana Maria Gomides and welcome to my crib q&a!

For those unfamiliar with your work what’s a piece of your writing/media you’d like audiences to read/listen to/watch to get to know you and your work better?
Imma tell youse what I used to tell all my tinder matches when they asked me about work: “feel free to do a cheeky google on me ;)” (cos I look hot in the pics).

ps. ur honour, there’s a piece about Lena Dunham floating around the world wide web that I’d like to strike from the record please and thank you.

When you see the words ‘Amazing Babes’ what comes to mind?
some amazing babes.

Without giving too much away can you describe the Amazing Babe you’ve chosen to honour in 3 words?
eater pooper sleeper.

What song do you connect most to your Amazing Babe?
da dum du du du du duuuu duuu da dum du du du du du da dum du du du du duuu duuuu pehwn neh neh neh neh neh nehwwwh da dum du du du du duuu

Finally, other than Amazing Babes, what EWF events are you most looking forward to?
Writing the Stars!

Amazing Babes returns Monday 20 June, 7-8.30pm at Brunswick Mechanics Institute. Tickets are available now. You can learn more and purchase tickets here.