Category: Cabaret

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Peter Rugg’s BIG GAY ADVENTURE!

Get sparkly!

By Joana Simmons

For his debut full length cabaret; Peter Rugg brings us Peter Rugg’s Big Gay Adventure!, the camp tale of a narcissistic millennial who lifts the lid on what it’s like to be gay today. Peter is brave and Rugg-edly uncovered in this Caba-gay filled with pop and musical theatre songs, educational anedcotes and one sparkly blazer.

Peter Ruggs Big Gay Adventure.jpg

As a kid, Peter dreamed of having the wedding with the isle and the doves and the man of his dreams. He points out that he didn’t have very many gay couples as role models and when he woke up in the adult world, realised that amongst the tanned hairless twinks on Grindr, finding this happy-every-after might be harder than he thought. Especially living in a country where marriage still isn’t legal. Cheeky one-liners and smug segues between stories and songs navigate us through tribes and groups of ‘types’ of gay, dating, anonymous hook-ups, judgement, body image and discrimination. Some of the more meaty topics he touched on lightly, though I would have loved for him to authentically bare all truths about them- sexual health, role-model couples and what it’s like being in the closet, rather than spending more time talking about Grindr and things which are stereotypical for a young gay man.

For a first full-length show, this content and topic is no walk in the park, and Peter tackled it with gusto though structurally the issues could be developed more to really hit home. He’s interesting, and I wanted him to go deeper (excuse the innuendo, after seeing this show I see it in everything!)

Rainer on the piano sweetly accompanies him and must also be mentioned for his speaking role and assistance with putting Peter back on his train of throught. The adaptations on pop and musical theatre songs express his wants, views and struggles. Highlights were his rendition of Estelle’s “American Boy” and the heartfelt song for all the men in the closet, and these made up for moments in other songs where notes were pitchy and storytelling and ideas were lost. Applause followed every number and his energy carried through. His interaction with the crowd was relaxed and conversational; he was able to work the crowd well although some of the time he spoke directly to his friends, and it felt like the two of them having a chat over brunch that the rest of us weren’t invited to. The final few numbers were standouts and made up for all the flaws previously mentioned: his honesty about how it felt when he held hands with a boy in public for the first time, and the fear of discrimination, and what his wedding would be like had me fixated. Finishing with a fabulous upbeat number left us loving him all the way to his curtsey.

This caba-gay is an onstage celebration of all things camp. It’s not easy doing a solo cabaret: you are baring a part of your soul in an entertaining way. It’s probably even harder when it’s a part of your soul not everyone in this country agrees with. So for that, and more, support Peter Rugg and his Big Gay Adventure because what he has to say is important and the talent is definitely there. He’s a looker too: you can’t help but get lost in his GAY-ze.

Show Details: Peter Rugg’s Big Gay Adventure!

Dates: July 20-24

Time: 7pm

Cost: $25-32

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne

Tickets: thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Events, Opportunities, Whats On

Barking Spider Theatre and The Johnston Collection Present HOUSE OF DREAMS

A mesmerising meander through arts, antiques and imagination

By Myron My

William Robert Johnston was a Melbourne-based antique dealer and a collector of beautiful things, and he wanted to share these unusual and visually arresting items with the public. Upon his death in 1986, the not-for-profit museum, The Johnston Collection was established. The Collection has had a rotation of guest curators including The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David McAllister, milliner Richard Nylon and design studio Hecker Guthrie, who were given the opportunity to explore, regard and share the curiosities within the collection.

House of Dreams.jpg

With its current exhibition, House of Dreams, guest curators Barking Spider Visual Theatre – a Melbourne-based multi-art form company – have spent the last 18 months designing the nine spaces to create a highly evocative and imaginative environment to be experienced. Led by Artistic Director Penelope Bartlau, the theatre company is known for its exemplary productions and varied methods of creating and sharing stories with audiences.

While we were advised to wander around the space and devise our own story based on what we saw and heard, I personally enjoyed learning about Johnston’s childhood and family from the highly knowledgeable volunteers, and being able to gain a deeper understanding of the symbolism and purpose that the various items being used held. The meticulous effort that Barking Spider has put into each room is evident. You could easily spend half an hour in the one location, discovering new pieces, seeing things from different perspectives and mulling over the effect a particular room or item has had on you.

House of Dreams is both joyful and saddening. It is filled with hope and also loneliness, but the story you choose to create is completely in your own hands. While I can still vividly recall so many of the striking items on display, the experience of walking through The Collection, and more specifically, doing so under Barking Spider’s curating, made it feel like a dream in itself – and one that I am keen to re-visit over the coming months.

The Johnston Collection runs daily tours of House of Dreams until 20 September.

For booking details please visit The Johnston Collection website.

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Gillian Cosgriff in THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS

Catch her before she wows Edinburgh…

By Joana Simmons

Award-winning musical comedian (Winner Best Cabaret Melbourne Fringe 2013, Winner Green Room Awards Original Songs 2013) Gillian Cosgriff is a musical and vocal powerhouse with comedic charisma and charm to boot. In her show, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, we hear her personal stories of how she is good at making to-do lists but better at procrastinating, good at being a mate but awesome at calling them after a wine or nine, and many other rollicking relatable truths.

Gillian Cosgriff.jpg

“This is why we can’t have nice things” is an adage recited by mothers across the globe to children who have damaged said nice thing. After an energetic opening number, Cosgriff explains how this is the title of her show because it is something she frequently finds she is telling herself: for when she buys an expensive lipstick and it spills in her bag, or meets a nice guy and calls him at 3am to ‘hang out.’ Through her dulcet tones and clever lyrics, she delights the audience with all kinds of anecdotes that prove why this saying applies to her.

Cosgriff is clearly a seasoned performer. She is relaxed and enjoying herself and the audience is completely on board. It’s hard not to be, since her musical ability hits all the right notes and vocal riffs have the audience whooping and applauding after every number and one liner.  The humour hits home as equally as the heart. Gosgriff’s honesty and open self-reflection is touching, and her song to her 16 year-old self is beautiful.

Structurally, Cosgriff’s command of the stage with her storytelling and variety of musical numbers works. One part with voice-overs went a bit long, but other than that, the intimate journey that is this show is the perfect amount of theatrical and accessible. The lighting is simple and subtle, except for one stage where they started flashing which was unsettling but that could have been the intention.

There’s four performances left of this show before Gillian Cosgriff takes off to debut it at Edinburgh Fringe. Go and see it, because she is going to hit that festival out of the park. Go and see it because it is humour with heart and hashtag nostalgia. Go and see it because, whilst Cosgriff thinks she can’t have nice things, she definitely deserves all the great things that her incredible talent will bring.

Gillian Cosgriff: This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

Venue: The Butterfly Club

Dates: July 5-10

Time: 8:30pm

Tickets: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Performances, Review

The Butterfly Club Presents DAVE AND THE PLUSHIES

Cuddly comedy unites stunning talent and stuffed toys

By Joana Simmons

If your face is sore from smiling when you walk out of the theatre, it’s a sure sign you have seen a good show. I am lucky enough to have caught Dave and the Plushies at The Butterfly Club in his “On the Road to 2nd” show:  a bunch of his songs from his first album (1st) and a few from his second. Dave, and his band, the Plushies- a cute collection of nostalgic stuffed toys- make real talk romantic, with songs about love, dreams, pick-up lines and Lord of the Rings.

Dave and The Plushies.jpg

Opening with a comical and well-produced music video projected on the back screen – the saga of “Superhero Asian” – I am caught up at once in the clever lyrics and smart storytelling. Dave emerges “(W)apping in slow motion” and immediately puts the audience at ease by connecting with them through his catchy chorus and relaxed command of the stage. Dave introduces his band, the Plushies, which don’t really serve any purpose except making the stage look good. Any band that makes a singer look good without doing anything is a great thing: not that Dave needs it.

This man’s imagination for song concepts is as grand and admirable as his vocal range. The audience is quickly tapping their toes, making monkey noises, and sighing through each song. His guitar-playing and musicality makes perfect accompaniment for this intimate evening, I loved how his audience banter was the right amount of witty and quick and the audience loved it too, participating at the right times and one even yelled out to him, “All your friends are here!”

It’s easy for a show of this genre- one man singing funny songs and playing his guitar- to get monotonous. Dave breaks it up with an animated video clip, this time a love story. Just when I think my ‘warm and fuzzy tank ‘ is full, it’s topped up with light and honesty from the heart. The energy in the room is evident, raised by moments of physical comedy and more songs with choruses that get stuck in your head. Finishing with an energetic dance number “I Wanna Dance with You, Davey”, the audience and I need no prompting to burst into applause and begs for an encore.

When a second season is announced, wait no longer and get to this show. It’s clever, honest, romantic and fun for all ages. With skillful playing, a delightful voice and vocal range, and great comic timing, it’s fair to say talent wise; Dave is a Royal Plush.

Dave & The Plushies: On The Road to 2nd was performed Tuesday 28th of June – Sunday 3rd of July, 2016 at The Butterfly Club. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/daveandtheplushies/?fref=nf

Image by Davidoff Hoanganova

Cabaret, Performances, Review

Vince Milesi in LET DINKY DIE

Battlefield cabaret is farcical fun

By Myron My

Friends, cobbers and diggers, Dinky Di is here to tell you a story: a story about war and patriotism and conviction. From his flamboyant foxhole, Dinky opens up to the audience through comedy, cabaret and some interesting dance moves.

Let Dinky Die.jpg

Vince Milesi, co-founder of award-winning comedy duo Backwards Anorak, wrote and performs in Let Dinky Die and he clearly has a knack for the absurd and the farcical. While this type of humour can be hit or miss, Milesi hits all the right marks with his audience, including me. His ease and comfort in playing Dinky is evident, and with that confidence comes the pleasing element of surprise for the audience, as we never quite know what Dinky is going to say or do next. 

While there are plenty of laughs, the story being told seems to waver at times, with things happening or being mentioned that often don’t lead anywhere, such as when Dinky starts rifling through an audience member’s handbag: why, I wondered, are we as an audience being shown this? Furthermore, I feel there is not enough reflection from Dinky and his thoughts on the purpose of this war. If his dilemma is to decide if he should wait for reinforcements or fight a battle he is bound to lose, then that needs to be explored in more detail.

However, there are times when Let Dinky Die does move beyond the ‘just-for-laughs’ moment and brings to the surface the more serious effects of war. The letter he pens to his mother is not only funny, but also raises the issue of innocent civilians being killed and how they are manipulated or regarded as collateral damage in a war in which they have no say.

As a first-season run, Let Dinky Die is a great comedy show, but if it wants to challenge preconceived ideas of patriotism, duty and war as Milesi states, then it needs to dig a little deeper into this digger’s psyche.

Let Dinky Die was performed at The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne from June 29 until July 3, 2016

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Rachel Rai is MANXIOUS

Engaging comedy cabaret wins hearts

By Myron My

Manxious: the nerves and anxiety one exhibits while waiting for a man to text back. It’s a serious affliction and something that Rachel Rai want to share with us in her cabaret show Manxious. Despite its worrisome theme, it’s a fun show that not only showcases Rai’s impressive ability to sing and perform, but also gives the audience plenty of laughs.

Manxious.jpg

Rai intersperses a diverse number of songs throughout the evening as she goes through the excruciating process of waiting for a response to her perfectly created text. These numbers have been reimagined in ways that give them new life and celebrate Rai’s versatility as a singer. Her inclusion of some iconic Australian songs would have to be the musical highlight of Manxious, including her audience-rousing cover of John Farnham’s “Pressure Down”. Another surprise was the theme from Home And Away, which was the last musical number I would ever expect to hear in a cabaret show, but Rai manages to make it feel like a genuine, heartfelt song.

The entire audience is able to relate to the emotional gamut being portrayed and Rai’s subtle and not-so subtle facial expressions are particularly fun to watch. Manxious is full of witty one-liners and surprises, including the star’s loving ode to what many would consider a standard late-night item for a truly great weekend. Rai’s delivery of punch-lines feels satisfyingly natural and receives many laughs, especially when she states, matter-of-factly, that she’d prefer her date to be dead than find herself being rejected. Being in the world of dating myself, it would be fair to say that never a truer or more rational thought was spoken

While the space is not huge, Rai manages to not only squeeze a bed, a three-piece band (including a piano and drum kit) and a singer on stage, but she also finds the room to smash out some pretty funky dance moves throughout the show. The idea of this band performing in her “bedroom” adds to the hyper-reality of Manxious, allowing Rai to draw on the smallest of moments and creatively explode them into a massive drama or cause for concern.

Throughout Manxious there were many times when audience members exclaimed “That is me!” and “ I do that!” While admittedly most of those exclamations came from my friends, this really is a strongly appealing show where everyone should be able to see themselves in Rai, and walk away laughing at how foolish we can be when it comes to our search for love.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 25 June | 10pm
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc
Bookings: The Butterfly Club

Cabaret

Circus Oz Presents TWENTYSIXTEEN

Highly enjoyable new show

By Jessica Cornish

TwentySixteen, the latest Circus Oz creation to hit their Big Top at Birrarung Marr, went back to its roots in this show – but with some unexpected and quirky twists and turns, resulting in one of the company’s best productions in years.

TwentySixteen.jpg

Under the direction of Anni Davey and musical direction of Ania Reynolds, the small but versatile cast plunged into everything from musical instrument to trapeze in a fast-paced night. Acrobatics featured heavily through out the evening, particularly showcasing the strength of the female performers. The Chinese pole, flying trapeze, hoop-diving and a unicycle adagio were all there, plus a beautifully choreographed and eccentric flying-trapeze acrobatic number featuring a bare-bummed male performer gliding across his hysterical audience members. The music was bright, punchy and helped the acts smoothly transition from one scene to the next.

MC’s Flip Kammerer and Dale Wood-Bridge Brown clowned it up throughout the evening and managed to do a good job holding the audience’s attention. Adult themes were cleverly woven in to the script, entertaining both adults and children simultaneously. My only niggle was that throughout the show it was only the female MC who was consistently falling or being pushed down by her male counterparts. Seemed a little bit odd and uncomfortable to see nowadays, but considering Circus Oz’s general practices, it was possibly to challenge the audience’s gender perceptions – or this is just a bit of slapstick comedy being overly critiqued.

The evening’s performance was not yet perfect: further work still needs to be done particularly on the juggling work, with quite a few dropped balls throughout the night and considering the choreography wasn’t completely in sync. Once again though, as nerves abate and the season progresses, so too shall the quality and ease of the performance. TwentySixteen is satisfyingly interesting, colourful and an entertaining two hours away from the rainy Melbourne streets.

Season: 15 June- 10 July

Prices: From $40.00 – $95.00

Venue: Circus Oz Big Top, Birrarung Marr

Tickets:http://www.circusoz.com/tickets-and-shows/about-the-show/about-the-twentysixteen.html

Image by Rob Blackburn

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Cabaret Festival: AMY G’S ENTERSHAMEMENT

Uproariously outrageous

By Joana Simmons

This year’s Melbourne Cabaret Festival features a program with artists from all corners of the cabaret genre and all corners of the globe. New Yorker Amy G’s one-woman slapstick-song-dance-and-skating show Entershamement is a prime example of the host of talent dished up for the tasting. She explores some personal truths about shame, and #noshame, throws stones at her haters and commands the stage to do anything and everything to entertain her audience. She ain’t chicken. Except in the act where she is a chicken.

Entershament.jpg

Belting out a range of diva staples (“I’ll put a Spell on You”, “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman”, “It’s Not Easy Being Green”) there were moments where her notes floated into the air and tickled our ears like the smoky stage she was standing on. However, there were also many moments where her voice sounded strained for the power-house notes and didn’t do the song or her justice. Her range of skills though, is as vast as her homeland: moments that had me guffawing and gasping for air were fantastic physical comedy on rollerskates, her Spanglish flamenco senorita with a fire in her belly, a glimpse into her dressing room at intermission and the amazing way she can play a kazoo with her hoo-hoo. The latter is one party trick one will never forget, and finishes the show with a rousing applause. These moments aside, the rest didn’t land for me. She touched on the concept of shame and judgment as a performer but it felt skin deep, and this shameful reviewer wants to see the rock bottom of the deepest pools of her real truths.

For a show in a festival program that has multiple events in the same venue in the one night, the production and tech is seamless. The lighting is well-set, well-timed, and adds magic to her marvelous acts. Similarly, the sound – quite simply – is great, standing strong through multiple costume and mic changes. Amy G’s costumes are as delightfully showy and theatrical as the way she got changed into them: my favourite was spinning on skates as she spun into a dress- a tornado of glamour and grace.

If you have never seen cabaret before, but kind of have an idea of what it is, this is a show for you- with a few wonderful surprises and moments you won’t forget. If you have seen cabaret before, enjoy feathers, sequins, songs, skates and jokes– a woman whose talent is varied and stories are true, this is a show for you.

Season: Until June 19

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel

Tickets: http://chapeloffchapel.com.au/melbourne-comedy-theatre-art/melbourne-events/melbourne-cabaret/amy-g-entershamement-16-19-june/

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2016: DEATH SUITS YOU

Blithely black humour prevails

By Myron My

Everyone has moments when they feel underappreciated and ignored at work and frustrated with their overall work/life balance, but none more so than Death. This is someone who meticulously plans how each and every mortal will meet their ultimate demise, and then needs to ensure our own stupidity or actions do not interfere with these plans. Death must watch over us all the time, even when we are sleeping. In this year’s Melbourne Cabaret Festival show Death Suits You, this hardworking individual recalls some of his finer achievements and attempts to have us understand the complexities of his role.

Death Suits You

Sam Hooper as Death is a charming and charismatic performer, even if this version of Death is simply dressed in plain black shorts and a t-shirt. Perhaps this is part of Death’s plan: to appear as “one of us” and subsequently let our guard down and allow ourselves to see things from his perspective, no matter how macabre it might be. Hooper has written some great individual tales to share and despite knowing that it will not be a happy ending, the build-up and visual language he uses has the stories running through our minds as vividly as a movie.

With each narrative, Hooper has an accompanying performance piece, and the beauty of this is that it is not just song, but also dance and spoken word, which leave the audience wondering how he will interpret the next victim’s inner feelings and sadness. Hooper tailors these perfectly and the touching dance routine during his drowning victim’s tale is equally meditative and unsettling. Likewise, Hooper’s careful diction with the spoken word pieces clearly brings out the attitudes and feelings of those who are facing mortality, and are performed with strong conviction.

Despite the necessary gloom and doom theme of the show, such as Death’s retelling of poor 6-year-old Eva’s end, Hooper ensures that the audience is never left despondent. The show is littered with clever and witty laughs, such as Death’s admission that he controls the weather to create a dramatic exit for people, or how his work is a great method of population control.

Robert Tripolino‘s music is the perfect accompaniment to the stories and, in the face of Death, is effortlessly brought to life by the two-piece multi-instrumentalist band of Shanon Whitelock and Caleb Garfinkel, providing strong support to Hooper. The simple lighting throughout the show is also used well in creating the various moods and scenarios that Hooper describes.

Sadly, as with many cabaret shows during the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, Death Suits You only has a three-night run which ends on Sunday so best head off and see this show soon, before Death decides to pay you a visit instead.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran 
Season: until 19 June| 8.45pm
Tickets: $37 Full | $33 Conc 
Bookings: Chapel Off Chapel

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2016: MOTHER’S RUIN

Sublimely intoxicating

By Myron My

It’s no accident that a cabaret show about the history of that sordid spirit, gin, would instantly have attracted my interest. After all, who wouldn’t be interested in a cabaret show that deals with sexism, misogyny, colonialism and propaganda? That’s right, the history of gin covers all these issues and with Mother’s Ruin: A Cabaret about Gin, not only are we educated on these but also remain constantly highly entertained.

Mothers Ruin.jpg

Performers and co-creators Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood have joined forces with Sydney-based gin aficionado Elly Baxter from The Ginstress, who has been writing about gin since 2012. This collaboration allows the audience to hear more of the lesser-known facts of this beloved beverage, ensuring we are always interested and intrigued by what is being revealed.

Marsden and Wood have a commanding presence on stage, and being part of feminist cabaret group Lady Sings It Better, they are no strangers to the performance space. They share a strong rapport with each other and their banter is highly engaging and natural. The audience is easily brought on-side and after a cheeky performance of Lionel Bart’s “Oom Pah Pah”, we have no option but to succumb to the sweet elixir of gin – and these ladies.

The variety of songs the two cover, which have been re-written to link to historic moments in gin consumption, are creative, daring and full of flair. Wood’s rendition of “Fever” in reference to the use of the alcohol to help combat malaria is not only vocally sublime but a stroke of comedy genius. Marsden’s performance of Martha Wainwright’s “Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole” is possibly the best song I have seen performed in a cabaret.

Joining Marsden and Wood on stage is musical director and skillful pianist and vocalist, Jeremy Brennan, whose cover of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” had the entire venue erupt in a sing-a-long where it was very easy to picture everyone raising their glasses to the air with copious amounts of gin spilling everywhere. It’s not often that an entire audience can forget they are watching a performance and feel like they are just a communal group of people out together having some fun, but that moment was one of those unique theatre experiences.

Mother’s Ruin may be a loving ode to a favourite spirit, but you do not need to be a gin drinker to appreciate its brilliance. With the show closing this weekend at the well-matched Butterfly Club, I highly recommend dropping any other weekend plans you might have and booking tickets for this. Go for the excellent show and stay for the delicious drinks; it will be one of the most enjoyable experiences you can currently have in Melbourne.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 19 June | 8.30pm
Tickets: $36 Full | $30 Conc
Bookings: The Butterfly Club