EM RUSCIANO:
The Ballroom Sessions Encore

With special guests Michael Paynter & Jemma Rix

After a sold-out residency at the Brunswick Ballroom, I’m taking the show down the road to Forum Melbourne for one night only. Ten years ago, I was doing stand-up in the Forum’s supply cupboard under the stairs. Now I’m in the big room. Yes, the one with the half-naked statues and that famous blue roof.

But don’t panic, it’s still the same show I dreamed up at Brunswick. No glitter cannons, no over-the-top choreography (although if the spirit moves me, interpretive dance remains on the table). Just me, my band, a few surprise guests, and all the side quests my ADHD will allow. There’ll be songs you know, moments you won’t expect, and, if history is anything to go by, probably a few tears, too.

It’s unscripted, raw, and unpredictable. Think of it as a big-room version of the most personal gig I’ve ever done. There’ll be family moments, laughter, chaos, and the kind of connection you only get when the guard is down and the stakes are up.