Townsville performer Astrid Duke ready to Bear it all at NAFA show

When Astrid Duke steps onto the NAFA stage next week, she’ll be stripping away the glitz and glamour, revealing something far more intimate — her own journey with mental health.

Astrid Duke will be Bearing it All at NAFA. Picture: Evan Morgan

A Townsville performer will be Baring It All when she steps out onto the stage at the North Australian Festival of Arts next week.

Astrid Duke is well-known to Townsville audiences for her ongoing performances with 1RAR Band, and also her sold-out cabaret show A Tribute to Divas last year.

But with her new show, Duke delves deep within herself, exploring mental health themes with a series of self-penned songs.

“Baring it all is, I’m not going to take my clothes off, I think that’s the very first thing I need to clear up for everyone,” she said.

“It’s actually baring my story, and it’s quite a personal story.

“It’s very vulnerable, and I’m exposing the truth about my journey with mental health, and that’s where it feels even more exposing than actually taking my clothes off, because it’s such a personal story.

Astrid Duke will be Bearing it All at NAFA. Picture: Evan Morgan

After writing and working on the songs for the past several years, Duke believes now is the time to share them with the Townsville community.

“The show incorporates all original music that I’ve written, collaborating with a friend to write the music, and we’ve finished the show.

“We’ve finished all the songs, and I believe that the people of Townsville are welcoming, warm, and I think they’re going to be excited to hear story.”

She believes it is important share their stories about struggles with mental health.

“One of the songs we have in the show is actually called Sharing is Caring, and I think that’s a really strong premise for talking about mental health issues.

“The more we shine a light on mental health issues, whether they be vast or whether they’re small, everyone encounters a little challenge, or maybe it’s a big challenge in their life.

“Everyone experiences mental health, whether it’s through connections, through their family or themselves, and the more we talk about it, the less stigma that I hope happens because mental health is just the same as breaking an arm or spraining an ankle or having a cold, it needs to be treated, needs to be acknowledged.

“I think the more we talk about it, the less stigma there’s going to be for people who are experiencing mental health.”

She is looking forward to performing the premiere of her new show at NAFA.

“NAFA is a great opportunity for local artists to share their work with the community, and I’m really looking at it as a stepping stone to be able to get exposure and potentially share the show with other regions in far north Queensland, and this will be the very first premiere of Baring it All.

Baring it All is at the Parlour at Strand Park from Thursday October 3 to 5 and to book go to https://nafa-tsv.com.au/event/baring-it-all--a-cabaret-of-naked-truths/

Originally published as Townsville performer Astrid Duke ready to Bear it all at NAFA show