A Kransky Christmas – from doilies to Daft Punk
InReview
Mourne Kransky is chasing the neighbour’s ferret out of her home when I call to talk about the Kransky Sisters’ Christmas celebration. She’s also clearing a croaky throat – caused not by a frog, she says, but a cane toad.
Welcome to the kooky world of the three Kransky Sisters, who – so we’re told – live a sheltered life in a rickety old house in the quiet town of Esk in Queensland, from where they occasionally venture forth to entertain audiences around the country.
You might recognise them as regular guests on former TV music quiz show Spicks and Specks or from appearances at the Adelaide Fringe – with their unique style of musical comedy, gothic make-up, long black skirts, polkadot blouses and red ties, they’re hard to forget.
Now, Mourne, Eve and Dawn are coming back to town for A Very Kransky Christmas at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre.
So how do the Kranskies celebrate the festive season?
“We have our traditions, you know,” spokeswoman Mourne (aka Annie Lee) says, in her trademark droll tone.
“We put out our stockings hoping that Santa will fill them but if we find nothing in them we like to go out and do a little dance around the Hills Hoist outside to take our minds off it.
“We sometimes count the rows of stitches in our doilies … that was a tradition of our mother’s. If one doily is longer than the other ones, you get to have a piece of apple on a toothpick. We put the cinnamon on the apples and away we go.”
Of course, there’s also egg nog and turkey … well, bush turkey, actually: “You have to cook it for about two days so it’s tender.”
The Kransky Sisters rarely have guests at Christmas, Mourne says, so this year’s celebrations are a treat.
In addition to sharing some family treasures and strange but amusing stories, they’ll be bringing their unusual collection of instruments – including cheese graters, a toilet brush, tuba and musical saw – and performing songs both Christmassy and from artists ranging from Sia, Gotye and Daft Punk to Enya, Nana Mouskouri and The Carpenters.
“We listen to the wireless – there’s some modern stations we can listen to now that mother isn’t around.”
Asked what she’s hoping Santa might leave in her stocking this year, Mourne says a glomesh purse would be lovely.
“I’ve always wanted one of those because one always looks very dapper with a glomesh purse … and it might attract a suitor. That would be a wish of mine of, course.
“And we’ve always wanted an etch-a-sketch to fill in the time at home.”
The Kransky Sisters were last in Adelaide for the 2014 Fringe, and are looking forward to returning.
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“We love to come to Adelaide,” says Mourne.
“We always get a good reception and meet some interesting people … sometimes we even get invited back for a cup of tea.”
A Very Kransky Christmas will be at the Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, on December 8-10.
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