THERE aren’t many performers who can describe themselves with complete sincerity as “a bearded immigrant, drag queen, rugby player, brat child and trouble maker”.
But for Ipswich’s own Fez Fa’anana, that’s exactly the point.
The internationally acclaimed performer, co-founder of Briefs Factory and one of Australia’s most celebrated circus and cabaret artists, is returning to his hometown as part of the inaugural Ipswich Circus Festival Adults Only Gala on July 10, bringing with him a brand-new act created especially for local audiences.
“I feel like humans are complicated and complex,” Fez said.
Growing up in Ipswich after immigrating from Samoa, Fez attended Bremer State High School, where one teacher would unknowingly help change the course of his life.
“I was lucky enough to have amazing teachers,” he said.
“I’m still friends with my drama teacher, and I graduated in 1995.
“She made me comfortable with creativity, but more importantly, she made my parents comfortable with it.
“She said, ‘He can play rugby, but he can also do theatre’,”
That encouragement allowed Fez to pursue both sport and the performing arts, rejecting the idea that people have to fit neatly into one identity.
“I’ve always been really aware of my diverse make-up,” he said.
“Being Samoan, being a new arrival, being something that stuck out in Ipswich in the 1980s.
“I think we sometimes fall short of celebrating how interesting and intricate each individual can be.
“You have the capacity to be many things.”
That philosophy has become the heartbeat of Briefs Factory, the internationally renowned circus, drag and burlesque company Fa’anana co-founded almost two decades ago.
The concept emerged during a time when Brisbane’s nightlife was changing, and Fa’anana wanted to create a space that felt welcoming, creative and safe.
“We just wanted to create somewhere people could put some drag on and party,” he said.
“It was about celebrating one another.
“There are enough idiots on this planet sabotaging each other.
“There are so many reasons for us to celebrate each other instead.”
Today, Briefs seamlessly blends circus, drag, burlesque and comedy, reviving the spirit of traditional circus where every form of entertainment existed under one tent.
“Circus used to be everything,” Fez said.
“There was the carnival during the day, the family show at night, and then the naughty side tent later on.
“Burlesque and drag have always been part of circus culture.
“They’re all about spectacle, storytelling and community.”
Fa’anana said that those themes remain just as important in 2026 and events like Circus Festival where vital to ensure the creative heart continued to beat through regions like Ipswich.
Returning to perform in Ipswich carries extra significance.
“I remember feeling disconnected from festivals here when I was younger,” he said. “So it’s really exciting to come full circle.
“I’m making a brand-new act especially for Ipswich.”
