Category: Cabaret Review

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Review: LACHLAN MACLEOD’S A Very Merry Christmas

Get into this christmas comedy quick!

By Melissa Trickey

After having a somewhat scrooge-y day, I was a bit “bah humbug” when I entered The Butterfly Club on Thursday evening…. But the “magic, majesty and hhhhhwhimsy” of Lachlan’s Macleod’s A Very Merry Christmas soon warmed the cockles of my heart to turn my frown upside down and make me Madame President of the Christmas Spirit Club!

Christmas sure smacked me in the face as soon as I walked in the door, with the busiest set I’ve ever seen in that performance space. I had no idea the stage could fit so much! Three musical instruments, a fully decorated Christmas tree, a framed Jesus picture and a curious object that was concealed by some kind of mystery Christmas material…

This turned out to be Lachlan himself, who promptly did what I did not expect at all – sat as his keyboard and played a (seemingly) serious song about Christmas. Next second he totally bazinga’d me with the lyrics: “The doors are locked, I’ve got your cash, so f***you all!” People didn’t seem to mind though – we were all laughing too hard!

There were many lyrical gems like this along the way. Lachlan touched on such topics as re-gifting, office work parties, due rewards from Santa for being a bad little boy, and the evergreen last-minute present shopping. His lyrics are simple, direct and right on the money (except for the priest thing…), and his songs are very funny and appealing to a broad audience with great writing, delivery and chorey!

Lachlan has a gift for simple and effective storytelling that is quite endearing and suited the show very well. Some opening night nerves made Lachlan appear slightly jittery at times, but I’m sure they will settle down and Lachlan can relax into his performance more. From a performer’s perspective he has put A LOT of pressure on himself with his all-singing, all-gags, mostly-playing and sometimes-dancing agenda! In accompanying himself on no less than three instruments, Lachlan certainly is working harder than most. 

I thought there was a slight lag in the middle of the show that could be tightened up by shaving back some verses and material. It was good to be mellow but the feeling rather overstayed its welcome.  However, the finale was sharp, witty, and brilliant to watch, with the emergence of a special Christmas costume and resulting song. I don’t want to give too much away but it was absolutely hysterical and a closing highlight for the show!

Lachlan is everyday funny like Hamish and Andy, writes clever and witty lyrics like Tim Minchin, and delivers them with the pathos of Tripod. One day I will see him on TV and be like, “Hey, I reviewed that guy once!” Thanks for the Handy Christmas Facts, Lachlan, and for the numerous laughs! Merry Christmas!

Dates: Thurs 8th to Sun 11th Dec
Time: Thurs-Sat at 9pm & Sun at 8pm

Venue and bookings: The Butterfly Club, Sth Melbourne

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REVIEW: April Albert is DIE KNEF

A tribute to a legend misses the triumph

By Adam Tonking

Die Knef, a cabaret written and performed by April Albert, traces the life of Hildegard Knef, a chanteuse whose survival of World War II coloured the rest of her career as a performer, but never held her back from her ambition.

Albert’s show is a brief insight into a relatively unknown figure in Australia, and showcases songs in a language that is too seldom celebrated outside of opera here.

Hildegard Knef, referred to by Albert as “the Edith Piaf of Germany”, was an actress and singer who enjoyed a long career spanning from the 1940s through to the 1970s. With Albert as Knef, Die Knef is at its most simple the story of one woman’s life, featuring the songs that made her famous.

But Albert presents it as a kind of nostalgia concert from a faded artiste you can imagine touring RSLs and pokies venues, and so Knef comes onstage with all of the pizzazz and charisma of a star, but gets distracted reminiscing about the many tragedies of her life.

Watching Knef unravel under the weight of her memories makes for fascinating viewing.

I had thought that a show containing entirely foreign language songs might present a challenge, but the audience quickly accepted the change and Albert seemed most comfortable when singing or speaking in German.

Although her commitment to the character is admirable, she rarely seemed to connect with the unimaginable horrors that Knef describes experiencing during World War II.

The script appears meticulously researched, peppered with pithy quotes for which Knef was well-known, but then focuses too heavily on these bad times, not on the successes that made her so famous and hence a character worth getting to know.

April Albert’s Die Knef was on at The Butterfly Club in South Melbourne from the 1st till the 4th of December at 7pm. 

For details of other upcoming shows, visit www.thebutterflyclub.com.

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Review: KIMBERLEY DARK in Good Fortune

A beguiling future was in store for a raconteur and her audience

By Adam Tonking

Do you remember the pleasure, as a child, of having a story read out loud to you? Kimberley Dark’s Good Fortune instantly transported me back to those long-forgotten days.

Dark is a consummate storyteller but these are not for children. They are stories from her life, that when illuminated through her telling become stories about the world at large: about love, sex, politics, and power.

The show was presented as a kind of tasting platter – 46 stories and poems from Dark’s 15 years of performance, each attached to a quirky little artwork, which became a sort of Tarot deck, with members of the audience choosing. These pieces make up the show, with each show being unique to the audience present.

Dark explains that every audience has its own personality, and this method of framing the show’s concept lent it an air of legitimacy, but also created an air of mutual respect between Dark and the audience.

Telling stories is clearly a gift for the highly-skilled Dark. While she chatted with us amiably in between stories, discussing her history and philosophies, including a few poems as a palate cleanser between stories – the moment she opened her book, she transported the audience into another world, as only a true storyteller can.

 The tone of her voice, from beguiling to conversational, from hypnotic to questing, guides us through her world; but the stories themselves grow to encompass all of us. The material is complex yet comedic, personal yet provocative. Perhaps storytelling of this nature is a lost art, but by the end of Good Fortune I was completely enamoured with Dark and her tales.

Perhaps because of the nature of the audience choosing the material, no one will have the chance to see the same show that I did. But go anyway, and reconnect with those wonderful days of simply being told a good story by someone who knows how to tell it best.

Kimberley Dark’s Good Fortune is on for one more night, Wednesday 30th November at 8pm, at The Butterfly Club in South Melbourne, with tickets available at www.thebutterflyclub.com or at the door.

Or see her show Dykeotomy at Hares and Hyenas Bookstore in Fitzroy, December 1-3. For more information go to www.kimberleydark.com.

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REVIEW: Joe Black in SEX, DRUGS AND VAUDEVILLE

Take a turn on the dark side…

By Bradley Storer

Beginning the performance with a simple booming ‘Good evening ladies and gentlemen!’, the manically energetic Joe Black, making an immediate impression with his ghoulishly glittery face, barrelled onstage and launched into a song by fellow British cabaret artists Fascinating Aida, a spritely ditty about the pleasures of public fornication. This off-colour but hilarious opener set the tone for the rest of the evening, straddling the line between comedy and darkness expertly.

This is not an evening for the faint-hearted: subjects range from the joys of pyromania to the exploits of a heart-broken cannibal. Black covers many classics of the dark cabaret scene, including songs by the Tiger Lillies, Tom Waits and the Dresden Dolls, as well as original compositions discussing topics such as friends who ‘overshare’ on social networking sites. There are also more popular songs (Black’s Britney Spears cover is a particular delight), layered with a sinister twist – let’s just say I’ll never hear ‘You Are My Sunshine’ in quite the same way again.

Joe Black himself is charmingly demented. A musical and vocal chameleon, he swaps between piano and ukulele skilfully (which makes one regretful about his inability to smuggle his accordion past customs) and his voice switches at different times from a politely soft-spoken tenor, to a devilishly seductive Tom Waits-style croon, to a gospel-inflected roar reminiscent of Jason Webley.

The show itself still seems in development – segues between songs and the overall structure felt muddled, with connections in story not being as clearly developed as they could be. To be fair, this was probably not helped by Black’s admitted jet-lag or having to deal with an unusually talkative audience who interjected continually without warning – however this just goes to show, despite the darkness of his persona, how approachable Black made himself appear and how relaxed he had made his audience.

Despite some opening night glitches and some polishing still be done, Black is clearly a true cabaret performer, delivering a professional performance and forging such a strong connection with his audience that they spontaneously demanded a second encore – a rare sight! Such an enthusiastic response bodes well for the rest of Black’s first season in Australia, with the show undoubtedly growing even stronger with more performances.  

Until Nov 27th at The Butterfly Club

www.misterjoeblack.com

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Review: ROBERT TAYLOR is So Inappropriate

One very funny man and one very clever show

By Anastasia Russell-Head

Somewhere between The Flight of the Conchords’ spot-on parody and Tim Minchin’s witty word-play lies homegrown talent Robert Taylor’s new solo musical So Inappropriate, fresh from its debut season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Taylor’s abilities are multi-faceted – he wrote both the script and the music for this show, and manages to sing, tell stories, play some hot licks on the piano and be funny at the same time!

Thrown out of Hollywood, reduced to the indignity of composing music for adult films and playing cover music to drunken bogans, this loveably awkward songwriter is searching for new love while trying to avoid his ex-wives. Will he be able to summon up the courage to talk to the love of his life – the coffeeshop girl? Or at least be able to ask her name?

With clever lyrics, an excellent singing voice and accomplished keyboard chops, Taylor’s songs are highly entertaining. Having honed his musical skills at the Victorian College of the Arts, he has a range of styles and genres at his fingertips, moving effortlessly from funk to indie-folk and everything inbetween. Despite the name of the show, his humor was warm, witty and cheeky, without straying into the land of cringe. 

Even though his character is awkward, there were no signs of awkwardness in the performance, even with a very small audience (which can often make things feel awkward). Taylor’s stage presence is warm and personable, and his storytelling style engaging, with the carefully crafted ad-lib-esque monologue episodes of the work woven skillfully amongst the songs.

It was a pity that there were not more people at The Butterfly Club to see this talented and very entertaining performer in his short Melbourne season – hopefully we see him return to our stages soon. When he does, make sure to catch him!

The Butterfly Club

Weds 16th to Sat 19th Nov
9pm Thurs – Sat, Weds at 8pm
$22 / $19

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

More info: www.roberttaylor.biz

 

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REVIEW: Luke Escombe is CHRONIC

Hilarious and no-holds barred comedy still has heart

By Jessica Cornish

Presenting Flight Of The Concordesque cabaret, Luke Escombe, armed with his trademark off-white suit and cream peak hat, certainly entertained his small, but enthralled Thursday night audience for the latest season of his hit show Chronic at The Butterfly Club.

Equipped with a beautiful acoustic guitar,the five-dollar keyboard that he snagged off a young girl at a garage sale, a loop pedal and a battery-operated pink dog that occasionally made cameo appearances, Escombe’s show was the perfect amounts of uncomfortable, edgy and very funny.

The evening begun with a short autobiographical AV presentation of Luke’s life, before the Sydneysider cruised through the audience on to the stage to kick off his one-man performance.

His hilarious songs were continuously engaging, and segments such as ‘The Riddler’ encouraged his audience to yell out answers to his questions while his miniature keyboard’s MIDI loop ploughed on through the PA.

Other musical highlights were his advice to budding singer-songwriters regarding the use of  weather as a cliched metaphor, his achievement in coaxing the only unfortunate male in the female-filled audience to sing  ‘It’s hard to be P-I-M-P’, and the failed conga line attempt to the ridiculous and outrageously titled, but very catchy song ‘Jerk Ya Cock.’

Whilst Chronic was sixty minutes of light-hearted entertainment and presented an array of outlandish songs, the show also fought to raise awareness of crohns disease that currently affects over 30,000 Australians, including Luke himself.

Weaved throughout his web of songs Luke tells the tale of his personal battle with the illness, including his eleven-day stint in hospital, his determination to get back to good health and his motivation to rejoin society in full strength. He’s even being flown to Canberra next month to raise awareness about the disease (through song) to Australia’s finest political folk.

Lucke Escombe’s Chronic is a great distraction from the mundane happenings of everyday life, and will bring a smile to all who can share or take a joke every now and then.

Chronic will be performed at The Butterfly Club on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 Nov at 9pm and Sunday Nov. 13 at 8pm.

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Review: GERALDINE QUINN is The Last Gig in Melbourne

This is why Melbourne loves live music!

By Emma Muiznieks

In response to the floundering live music scene, Geraldine Quinn has invited you to the very last live gig Melbourne is ever going to host, and boy does she deliver.

For one hour, Quinn rocks out a set list of original songs, with the help of her band; musical director Casey Bennetto on keys and guitar, Tamara Murphy thundering on the bass, Sonja Horbelt on drums, and Martin Lubran rocking out like a legend on lead guitar. Last Gig pokes fun at the tropes of home-grown rock, but is at the same time a fine example of the very best sort of gig: it is well-structured, the music is tight, and Quinn owns the stage like a pro.

Covering a range of subject matter and musical subgenres, from a punk rock song about scrag fights to a poignant ballad lamenting the predominance of mobile phone usage during shows, Quinn takes us through the live music scene from when she herself first started bopping along as a teenager, to the current lackadaisical attitude of the modern concertgoer. As a songwriter, she has created music that is clearly original but has such an element of familiarity that you might swear you’ve heard the songs before on Rage or MTV. She presents us with a view from both sides of the microphone, and rather skillfully reminds us of how fun live gigs are while at the same time highlighting our responsibility to support the industry: there will always be new talent, but without an audience, it will go unheard.

Although each band-member is given the chance to shine, the show is very much a showcase for Quinn’s powerhouse vocals, clever lyrics and her complete and utter rock & roll spirit. There are few comedians on the scene today who possess such a strong stage presence; add to this a voice that can be so forceful one moment and so softly intense the next, and you have a performer capable of underpinning a comedy song with a real emotional resonance.

There are few people with enough cred, talent and moxy to claim the right to the last gig in Melbourne, but Quinn has definitely earned the honour.

www.geraldinequinn.com

The Last Gig in Melbourne

Dates: Friday 4, 11, 18, & 25 Nov

Time: 8.00pm (approx 1 hr duration)

Venue: Bella Union Bar, Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton

Tickets: $25/$16 at door, discounts for pre-booking

Bookings: 03 9650 5699 or www.bellaunion.com.au

 

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Review: BLOODLINES starring Bradley Storer

Halloween horrors worth feasting upon

By Emma Muiznieks

Walking slowly into the showroom at The Butterfly Club, Bradley Storer tells us his favourite fairy tale, one filled with murder, music and ghosts. This sets the scene perfectly for the following hour, as he takes us through the dark, sordid (and hopefully fictitious!) history of his family tree.

We are treated to a mix of personal anecdotes and theatrical readings from the family codex he compiled going back hundreds of years. These stories are interspersed with songs accompanied by Ben Kiley and ranging from Nick Cave and the Dresden Dolls to Kylie and Garfunkel & Oates, not to mention a very funny take on a classic Broadway hit by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Storer has crafted a stage persona that is both endearing and sinister, a cheeky lad who goes through life with an invisible peanut gallery of voices in his head. This polarity of character allows him to move into darker areas that may not suit the seven o’clock timeslot without losing his audience.

 Indeed, Storer’s portrayal of a man’s decent into insanity, executed with such utter conviction, left the audience breathless and almost uncomfortable from the reality of the performance, and yet Storer was able to snap us back skilfully with just the right amount of levity.

As smooth and versatile as his vocals are (a haunting rendition of I Just Can’t Get You Out Of My Head in particular shows off his amazing range and easy tone), it is as a storyteller that Storer really shines. The creepy tales are evocatively written, with strong narratives and vivid imagery, and the sombre delivery draws you in so well that you can clearly see every tiny detail in your mind’s eye.

When he is not singing or reading stories, Storer’s interaction with the audience can feel a little wooden, and there is a tendency to perform to the back wall rather than the people in front of him, however these issues are bound to disappear with time and experience.

Bloodlines runs the gamut from hysterically funny to positively bone-chilling, and is an excellent example of a classic cabaret experience. Storer has immense potential as a performer and artist, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

Venue: The Butterfly Club

Dates: Thur-Sun 27-30 Oct

Time: 7pm Thur-Sat, 6pm Sun

Bookings: http://www.thebutterflyclub.com/

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Review: MEL TRICKEY in Happiness 101

Do something that makes you happy!

By Adam Tonking

Happiness 101: Laughter is the Best Pseudo-Science! introduces us to esteemed academic Professor Geraldine Gravis, as played by Mel Trickey, who is here to lecture us on happiness, what it is and how to achieve it as proven through her scientific methods.

Not everything goes according to plan as her logic unravels and her inner yearnings reveal themselves, all for the entertainment of the audience.

This show is a perfect example of brilliantly-crafted cabaret, performed and written by Trickey. It has everything: a clear and engaging story, well-chosen songs to serve said story, a fully-realised character taking us along for the ride.

Trickey commanded the stage from the start, involving the audience – on Thursday night we were quite a small crowd which can be, well, tricky – but she was so charming that we were happy to play along. The left turn the story takes in the middle could have become trite and obvious, but as handled by Trickey was completely successful.

A lot of the humour in Happiness 101 relies on its ability to surprise the audience, and in the interests of people enjoying it as thoroughly as I did, I’m trying not to reveal too many of the details.

The show, however, reaches its pinnacle near the end in an amazing medley where the Professor realises her lifelong dream.  This moment is equal parts hilarious and spectacular, and I almost wish the show had ended at that point – it’s so good that anything after that feels like coming down.

Trickey was excellent in this show. She hits some amazing notes, assisted by accompanist Rowland Brache, who not only played beautifully, but also engaged in some lively banter with his esteemed colleague, much to the audience’s amusement.  Direction by Kim Edwards also deserves applause for making great use of the venue’s idiosyncrasies and keeping the action lively and varied.

I genuinely cannot say enough nice things about this show. Do yourself a favour and get on board. I can’t guarantee you’ll learn anything about happiness, but you will definitely be happier for seeing it.

Happiness 101: Laughter is the Best Pseudo-Science! is on at The Butterfly Club, South Melbourne, from 13th to 15th October at 7pm, and 16th October at 6pm.

Bookings through www.thebutterflyclub.com or 9696 2000.

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REVIEW: Anne Wilson in WHAT I DID FOR LOVE

The content is familiar, but the charm is undeniable

By Adam Tonking

Boy meets Girl. Girl falls in love with Boy. Boy runs screaming. This is how relationships work, right?

This is the premise of Sydney-based performer Anne Wilson‘s cabaret What I Did For Love, a startling exploration of what a girl will do when all she really wants is to be loved, and how far she will go to achieve it.

From the moment Wilson steps onto the stage, her pathos is clear and painful – this is a woman who has loved unendurably, and she’s here to tell you about the men who didn’t understand.

Through a series of eclectic song choices – everything from Queen to Hunters and Collectors, this is the journey of making the same mistake over and over in the quest for romance, and indeed, it seems Wilson will do anything for love.

Wilson is clearly an amazing performer. The story is set out in a series of vignettes, with Wilson shining in every song and making every story personal and convincing. Her lovely voice never loses its control of the material even while she’s breaking down emotionally on stage.

Under the watchful eye of music director and accompanist Steven Kreamer, who provides some beautiful arrangements and stands in for the various cads in Wilson’s life, the words and songs flowed seamlessly into each other, never pausing for laughs or applause, and giving the story gravitas and urgency.

In fact, Kreamer’s awkward smile provides a wonderful counterpoint to Wilson’s manic performance. One of my favourite moments came early on when they sung together in their take on “Hernando’s Hideaway”.

I also admired Wilson’s use of the audience. Audience participation can be tricky and awkward, but with Wilson, she was so open and welcoming that it was easy to speak up and be included in her world, and her charm was perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the show.

While it was frustrating at times to hear about her making the same mistakes with all the men in her life, as an audience member you still wanted to help her not abandon her.

The ending arrives a little neatly and quickly, but provides one of the most honest moments of the show and I found myself genuinely moved.

This excellent show only has one more night, but Wilson hints of a move to Melbourne and the cabaret scene here will definitely be better for it, so I highly recommend rushing to see it to encourage her to stay with us.

Anne Wilson in What I Did For Love is on at The Butterfly Club as part of theMelbourne Fringe Festival, October 6th – 8th at 10.30pm.

Book at www.melbournefringe.com.au/fringe-festival/show/what-i-did-for-love or www.thebutterflyclub.com.