The nation's craziest sister act is heading our way, writes REBECCA WALLIS

Surprisingly, the Kransky Sisters have not yet been detained in a mental health institution and are still free to take to the stage with their strange songs and dry wit.

The three mad women are, therefore, coming back to the Far North this weekend with their new show, Three Bags Full.

If you haven’t seen these crazy ladies on stage, then look out – they’re unlike anything you have ever experienced.

"Isn’t that strange?" drawls eldest sister Mourne when it’s pointed out that many people find the sisters rather odd.

"Well, I suppose one man’s meat is another man’s fruit. But we are very normal. We do usual things like sit in the garden and stare at ants – we have porridge for lunch and white stew for breakfast, things like that."

Their act, which consists of deadpan tales and cover versions of popular hits, has had many an audience in stitches – mainly because they perform their songs with unusual instruments, including a kitchen pot, toilet brush and musical saw, but also because their renditions of hits from the likes of the Bee Gees, Grace Jones, Talking Heads and Devon are just as weird as they are.

"We learn the songs by listening to the wireless," says Mourne, whose favourite is Michael Jackson. "But sometimes the music skips to the next track, which is just how we perform it."

The oddballs are winners of several awards including the Melbourne Age Critics Choice Award, Green Room Award and the Australian Live Entertainment MO Awards. In 2006, they performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, a performance that won them a Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award.

Not that success has gone to their heads. The small-town gals dress in identikit old-fashioned outfits and seem to be stuck in an 18th century time-warp – which is why watching them sing ACDC is so ludicrous.

"Sometimes when you don’t mean to be funny, you just are," says Mourne, by way of explaining their success.

The ladies have just returned from touring Europe, which will be the subject of their forthcoming concerts.

"Oh, we had such a lovely time," says Mourne of the trip.

"We loved the oily doughnuts but, of course, Dawn always spilt hers down her. And we loved Sweden because the people were very nice to us, although not when we walked into one shop and saw Santa Claus cutting up a reindeer.

"We were quite shocked."

Such is the conviction with which Mourne talks in person and on stage it is hard to know whether she is genuinely insane or an incredibly convincing actress.

Either way, she’s hilarious.

The girls will be performing in the Far North later this month and seem to be looking forward to it as much as fans.

"We’ll be ditching our thermals and will be looking out for crocodiles!" Mourne chortles.

But while the Kransky Sisters are in town, one thing’s for sure – crocodiles aren’t the only thing you need to be afraid of.

• The Kransky Sisters will perform at Innisfail on Sunday at 6.30pm at the Conservatorium Theatre. Ph: Larsens Newsagency on 4061 1028 for tickets or CRACA on 4068 2589.

• They’ll also be at the Yungaburra Community Centre on Tuesday from 7.30pm. Ph: Jester’s Court on 4091 1688 for tickets. Tickets cost $25 for adults for both shows.

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