The smash-hit, one-human comedy cabaret Tinderella and the eight unique uses of Tinder is coming to Cooma and the Far South Coast. Photo: Lorraine King.
A smash hit, one-human comedy cabaret about the unexpected highs and lows of using dating apps is coming to Cooma and the Far South Coast in late May.
Tinderella and the eight unique uses of Tinder is based on Alyce Fisher’s real-life experiences of modern app dating in regional Australia.
It is unfiltered, laugh-out-loud, and no-holds-barred.
Tinderella is a truly regional story, created, performed and lived by a regional artist.
Ms Fisher, creative director of Theatre on Toast, said the 50-minute show had really resonated with all the regional audiences she had taken it so far.
“In the regions you find a lot of men’s profiles have a photo of them holding a fish and we all have to expand our kilometre radius as far as possible because there are less people to find,” Ms Fisher said. “It is very much grounded in regional storytelling and has had such good feedback from regional Australia.”
Ms Fisher said her parents would say that she was dramatic from birth.
She was always putting on shows as a child growing up on a farm in northern Victoria and desperate to play any role she could. She split her secondary education over two schools so she could study the subjects she wanted.
After studying theatre at university, she launched her own theatre company, Theatre on Toast, in 2007.
Expect a bespoke mockumentary, an informative yet hilarious TED-style talk, and a Fairy Godmother narrator. Photo: Lorraine King.
Since then, Ms Fisher has had many other jobs, travelled a lot and had a child.
“She is not a unique use of Tinder but a unique use of Grindr,” Ms Fisher said. “That is a whole other story, so there is a sequel in the works, Parenting Partners.”
Tinderella premiered in April 2022 and has been touring the ACT, NSW and Victoria since July 2024.
Touring while having a four-year-old involves a lot of juggling with her non-romantic partner, who is also a performing artist. “We have a fantastic, shared calendar.”
Ms Fisher’s mother has seen the show several times and joined the tour last year. “She is supportive but struggles with some of the content because it is her daughter talking about her promiscuous life,” she said.
“She has been with my Dad since she was 16 so hasn’t had a long, single life of exploration and debauchery whereas I am single and still exploring.”
The show is for people 18 years and over.
“My audience has been really diverse, with people in their 80s watching which has been delightful,” she said.
“Everyone has had their own experience of dating and meeting new people, whether in work or your dating life or hobby and the universal experience of things not always working out,” Ms Fisher said. “It is a story about life and putting yourself out there and having a go.”
Tinderella is the perfect night out for comedy lovers, cabaret fans, and anyone who has ever braved (or been baffled by) the world of dating apps. Photo: Peter Charlsworth.
The audience is predominantly women but often some men get dragged along.
“I can tell you they cackle just as loudly as the women.”
Ms Fisher started using Tinder in 2016 and continues to use dating apps to meet people she would not otherwise meet.
“Today our social media algorithms are so narrowed down that we are in a bubble of people who think the same way and vote the same way,” she said. “I think it is important to broaden our social networks and dating apps allow me to do that.”
When people discover who she is they often state they don’t want to be part of any of her shows.
“I say, well don’t do anything to give me content and you won’t end up in the show.”
Tinderella will be at Cooma Little Theatre on Thursday 29 May, Murrah Hall, south of Bermagui, on Friday 30 May, and The Twyford in Merimbula on Saturday 31 May. For tickets and more information on the 7:30 pm performances visit the Theatre on Toast website.
The tour has been made possible by funding from the Arts On Tour Backroads Fund.
Ms Fisher said Tinderella was oversharing at its absolute finest.
The nine-year dating app veteran’s advice to using dating apps in regional Australia is “lower your expectations, don’t expect to meet Prince Charming, and have fun”.
