Category: Cabaret

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

Melbourne Cabaret Festival: #FIRSTWORLDWHITEGIRLS

Ignorance is cabaret bliss

By Myron My

It’s been two years since Melbourne was graced with the presence of Tiffany and Kendall, two affluent white girls who have some major problems to deal with. Problems like 2-in-1 shampoo, and being invited out but having to decline because their phones are still charging. Inspired by the hashtag #FirstWorldProblems, Judy Hainsworth and Kaitlin Oliver Parker are back with their comedy cabaret #FirstWorldWhiteGirls.

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This trust fund princess and day-drinking trophy wife express the difficulties they regularly encounter through a number of entertaining original songs, each one showing not only their ignorance of the world but also the extremities of their privilege. Frighteningly enough, there are times when the things they say easily remind us of someone we know, or even ourselves. When they announce to the audience that “we are you”, they could in fact be correct, regardless of sex, race or gender.

The musical numbers bring forth some brilliant performances with clever lyrics that deservedly receive many laughs. The highlights of the evening though belong to a song about the most recent trend in cosmetic surgery (to tell you would ruin half the fun) and Tiffany’s “love song” to a suitor begging him to please not ask her out. The heart-rending ballad on FOMO is also a great moment that shows just how important these seemingly trivial problems can be for some people.

It’s between the songs however where some jokes falter and punchlines are either predictable or not as strong as what they could be. At one point, we are told that you can never go too far for the perfect body, but if this maxim applies in terms of their humour, the envelope is severely pushed with Hainsworth and Parker making some ordinarily questionable jokes around World War 2 and the adoption of children of colour. However, as these type of offensively ignorant thoughts and observations are in line with how Tiffany and Kendall live their lives, they actually succeed in pointing out exactly how out of touch with reality these girls are.

Hainsworth and Parker have been performing as Tiffany and Kendall for a number of years now, and often there is a sense of familiarity evident, that comes with getting to know a character you have created over time. Unfortunately on the evening I attended, I could not see this on stage and was personally left wanting a stronger fusion between performer and character. Despite this, there is still a good dose of laughs and enjoyment in #FirstWorldWhiteGirls that reminds us just how lucky we actually are.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne 
Season: Until 19 June | 7pm 
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc 
Bookings: The Butterfly Club

Cabaret, Performances, Review

Fifi La Boom! in SONGS AND SEXCAPADES

Left wanting more

By Myron My

Based on her online sex blog, Fifi La Boom! has come to Melbourne to beguile audiences with her show, Songs and Sexcapades. The cabaret/burlesque performer recalls various sexual (mis)adventures she has had while singing some of her favourite songs.

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Despite the initial allure of this premise, sadly, that’s all that Songs and Sexcapades seems to be though; Fifi telling us stories and singing, with not much else. The songs felt lacking in originality and zest with Fifi simply singing over the track and throwing in a quick line here or there to link back to her story. There is no engagement with the song itself and apart from the final number, it never feels like Fifi carries the tune, nor does she project her voice out to the audience.

The stories covered are, like the songs, entertaining but again nothing new. They feel like familiar tales that have been told time and time again. Fifi’s storytelling style is fun but when the narrative has nothing but content that has been heard before, it is difficult to retain the attention of your audience, particularly when you are performing on a bare stage without a single prop or set piece.

Having some simple items or visual cues would have been highly favourable for this show, especially as for almost the entire hour, Fifi remains standing behind the microphone. Some stage direction could potentially also have aided the show in providing something by which the audience can be engaged or stimulated. The single burlesque routine felt rushed and didn’t seem to consist of much of the pleasing teasing or flamboyant performance that is generally required for a successful act.

With the amount of sex-themed shows of all varieties being performed, it would seem there needs to be more to this show than just Fifi La Boom! behind a microphone. While on paper Songs and Sexcapades appears to be a fun show, I feel more creative input was required to make it fulfill its potential as a unique and entertaining experience.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 29 May| Sun 8.30pm
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc
Bookings: The Butterfly Club

Cabaret, Theatre, Whats On

Paul Capsis in RESIDENT ALIEN

Superb sojourn in the life of a legend

By Joana Simmons

“If I have any talent at all, it is not for doing but for being.”

Resident Alien, presented by Cameron Lukey, is a thought-provoking look at English writer and raconteur Quentin Crisp. The seasoned and critically-acclaimed Paul Capsis embodies this textured effeminate character and has the audience swept up as he recounts stories and moments from his fascinating life.

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Quentin Crisp was a self-described flamboyant homosexual.  He’s a man who defied convention by criticising Gay liberation and Diana, Princess of Wales. At a time when homosexuality was illegal, Crisp remained true to himself and expressed himself by dying his long hair lavender, wearing nail polish, and dressing in an often androgynous style. Despite the ridicule and violence often directed toward him, Crisp carried on, meeting hostility with wit. When he tried to join the army with the outbreak of World War he was rejected by the medical board, who determined that he was suffering from sexual perversion.  Instead, Crisp remained in London and entertained the American GIs, whose friendliness inculcated a love for Americans and he moved to Manhattan in 1981, when he was 72 years old. Crisp continued to tour, write, and lecture; including instructions on how to live life with style and the importance of manners.

The play by Tim Fountain picks up in Quentin’s dusty single-room Manhattan apartment, littered with books and dirty plates, where Crisp speaks to the audience as he prepares to be visited by Mr Brown and Mr Black.  His monologue moves naturally and conversationally through a plethora of opinions and anecdotes, from the mundane to the ones that strike a chord in your heart and get your brain spinning. Paul Capsis is outstanding in this role. Each single look and mannerism is captivating and his skillful delivery of the wordy and lengthy script is astonishing.

Director Gary Abrahams has helped construct a theatre piece that gives you more than something to sink your teeth into- it’s a piece of theatre that needs to sink in. To be able to stage one man’s story and views and have it make us reflect on our own whilst still being entertaining is true craftsmanship. Romaine Harper’s costume and set design gives immediate depth and background to this interesting person as the Fortyfivedownstairs performance space is transformed into Crisp’s apartment, cleverly lit by lighting designer Rob Sowinski and all accompanied by Daniel Nixon’s sound design.  You can tell the production is high-calibre and many hours have been spent on tying everything into one professional and glamorous bow.

Sometimes we go to the theatre to laugh, sometimes we go to cry, sometimes we go to forget about our own lives and live in a different world for a moment in time. Resident Alien gives us all these things. It’s remarkable, it’s memorable and it’s still got me reflecting now. If you go to the theatre and you enjoyed yourself, that’s great. If you go to the theatre and it makes you question yourself, that’s art.  Congratulations to all the creatives involved for producing such a high-class production.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, CBD

Season:Until June 12 2016

Bookings: http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/event/resident-alien/2016-05-25/

Image by Sarah Walker

Cabaret, Musical Theatre, Review, Whats On

Australia Tour 2016 of SINGING IN THE RAIN

A perfect storm of local talent

By Jessica Cornish

The beloved 1950s American musical comedy Singing In The Rain has seamlessly transitioned from the silver screen to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre for 2016. Exploring the 1920’s Hollywood film industry’s shift from silent films to the talkies and the challenges a studio faces when one of their biggest draw cards have the voice and personality of a shrill creature from another world, the Gene Kelly hit now features a host of new local stars.

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With direction by Jonathan Church, choreography by Andrew Wright and musical direction by Adrian Kirk, this creative team have created a well-polished, colourful and picturesque Australian production of the great American classic. A strong ensemble with excellent diction, slick dance moves and a good energy contributed to the overall high-quality performances throughout the night.

Leading romantics were played by the well-seasoned Adam Garcia and Gretel Scarlett. Garcia fit the part well and seemed to naturally channel the 1920s heartthrob with suave charm, while appealing leading lady Ms Scarlett gave consistently strong vocal performances. Comedic relief was provided by the talented Erika Heynatz, who brilliantly portrayed the incredibly narcissistic and obnoxious beauty Lena Lamont. And last but not least, the 2008 So You Think You Can Dance competition winner Jack Chambers was a standout performer of the evening, consistently demonstrating vast stamina and charisma to make him the perfect sidekick as Cosmo Brown.

Highlight musical numbers included the classic vaudeville-themed song-and-tapdance number “Fit as a Fiddle”, the lyrical tongue-twister “Moses Supposes”, melodically catchy “Make ’em Laugh” and of course, “Singing in the Rain”. The staging of the highly anticipated theme song did not disappoint, replicating the iconic after-hour streets of Hollywood with a literal and spectacular down-pouring of rain soaking the stage and its inhabitants. I particularly enjoyed watching the cast members joyfully splashing in puddles and kicking water onto nearby audience members armed with plastic ponchos.

Singing in the Rain is a classic musical that captures all that is good about the world of traditional musical theatre and has been successfully presented to Australian audiences in a colourful, eye-catching and crisp-sounding production that will be residing in Melbourne until July.

Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne

Price: Ranging from $71.00- $117.00.

Melbourne Season: Tuesday to Sunday until July 5.

Tickets: http://www.daintygroup.com/tour/singin-in-the-rain-aus/

Image by Jeff Busby

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Michaela Burger and Greg Wain are EXPOSING EDITH

Be enraptured

By Jessica Cornish

Exposing Edith has returned for a short season at the beautiful Melba Spiegeltent. This captivating 70-minute cabaret blends a mixture of impersonation and interpretation through 14 songs and monologues to explore the life and lovers of Edith Piaf.

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The work stars Michaela Burger as Piaf accompanied by Greg Wain on acoustic guitar, and this duo have created a beautiful theatre piece.

Burger’s vocals were outstanding. Her warm vibrato and vintage French pop sound filled the tent of mirrors as she sang a mixture of French and English songs. And with a little smoke and those mirrors you could even be forgiven for mistaking Ms Burger for the real deal as there is a striking resemblance between the performer and Piaf, with her dark braided hair and petite stature.

Wain was the perfect addition to accompany Ms Burger: he had a gentle stage presence and seamlessly incorporated some interesting chord colourings and strum patterns into the songs throughout the evening. The music was an utter joy to listen to throughout the night, and the pair even added their own flair to the traditional songs in cleverly playing around with the texture of sounds by incorporating loop pedals, echo and delay in to the performance.

Of course “La Vie En Rose” and “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” were powerful moments within the show and instantly recognisable to all audience members. However, don’t presume every song will be an Edith classic: for example, the performers open the show with a one-minute musical creation attempting to summarise large chunks of the performer’s life.

The lighting rig and set were minimalistic, and props were only a microphone, chair and a black feather boa. The performance space thus beautifully mirrored traditional performances from Edith herself, where one would find a vast stage with only the 4-foot-something French icon encased in a spotlight.

Exposing Edith is an excellent starting point for a new generation of music lovers to be exposed to the incredible life and songs of Edith Piaf, although potentially a little underwhelming to those more die-hard fans who already have a solid knowledge of the lady. However, the songstress’ story is cleverly told from the revealing perspectives of both the character and Ms Burger, and the music? It’s just stunning.

Dates:
Wednesday, 18 May – 7:00pm
Thursday, 19 May – 7:00pm
Friday, 20 May – 7:00pm
Saturday, 21 May – 7:00pm

Bookings:
Adult: $35
Concession: $30
Web: trybooking.com

Venue:
Circus Oz Home
35 Johnston Street
Collingwood , Victoria , 3066

Cabaret, Review, Whats On

Daniel Tobias in THE ORCHID AND THE CROW

A warm and witty look at life and brush with death

By Myron My

Our twenties are generally spent figuring out who we are and what we want to get out of life. At 29, Daniel Tobias just wanted to live. Diagnosed with stage-four testicular cancer, with stage five being death, Tobias faced a long and scary battle, and despite the cancer having spread to his abdomen, lungs and neck at one point, it has been a battle he has been winning for the last twelve years. In The Orchid and the Crow, Tobias retells significant moments from this experience through a variety of songs, music and performance.

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From the instant he appears on stage, it would be hard not to like Tobias. He is very affable and while there is a cheeky grin to him, there is also a vulnerability that he displays to the audience. Moreover, the show’s constant dynamic style and story switching – from a rock song about his parents falling in love to a retelling of how he was diagnosed to even an ode to his fallen testicle in Italian – keeps his audience engaged the whole time.

In the early part of the show, Tobias focuses on his “religious” upbringing: being an atheist Jew who ate bacon and celebrated Christmas. There are some light-hearted moments but with the well-placed hospital curtains as stage backdrop, there is a distinct sense of something looming. Given the show’s premise, it’s of course no surprise what this is. However it still feels like a bomb has been dropped when his story reaches his diagnosis, upon which the latter part of the show focuses.

Tobias raises some interesting points about life and beliefs, but after that dramatic turning point in the narrative, I felt that there needed to be a stronger link or call back with the initial religious aspects of his show. Furthermore, while the Italian song is executed brilliantly with the projected animations and surtitles, I wonder if it could have had even more impact had it been sung in Hebrew and thus tie in better with the story.

It feels wrong to say I enjoyed The Orchid and the Crow, given the nature of the show and the experience that Tobias has had, but it is enjoyable, and is a testament to his performance and writing skills that there are plenty of laughs to be had. It may even be the reminder call you need to re-evaluate what is important in your life, regardless of how old you may be.

Venue: Theatreworks, 14 Acland St, St Kilda

Season: Until 15 May | Tues – Sat 8:00pm, Sun 5pm

Tickets: $35 Full | $25 Conc

Bookings: Theatreworks

Cabaret, Comedy, Festivals

MICF 2016: Shirley Gnome is REAL MATURE

Frankly adult fun!

By Joana Simmons

After ripping up Adelaide and Perth Fringes, Shirley Gnome: Real Mature, was specially invited by this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival to charm our pants off with her songs and stories about things you do with your pants off. Her show is mostly about sex – but honest and hilarious rather than obscene. Combining her sheer musical talent on the vocals and acoustic guitar with her relatable rappore, make Gnome mistake, it’s one hot package.

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“Real Mature” is an appropriate title for a realistic modern-gal’s view on some relatively adult topics. Beneath the bedsheets her clever songs stroke themes of empowerment, political satire, and pop parody. This cheeky Canadian thinks the things, feels the feely feels, and puts them out there in the show sprinkled with glitter, charisma and some bootscootin’ country singing. Let me say Adele’s “Someone Like You” will never sound the same to me again.

It’s restoring seeing a woman stand up for the pure pleasure that the horizontal hokey-tokie can be, with all its’ body hair, un-photoshopped noises and nuances, and Shirley’s chatter between songs was amusing and natural. She’s banging good at doin’ it. Performing I mean. And probably “it” too. Spice up your weekend with some afternoon delight and get to The Butterfly Club with a show at 5.30 for two more nights.

Shirley Gnome: Real Mature

Dates: April 15 – 17

Time: 5:30pm

Cost: $25-32

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne

Tickets: thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Comedy, Festivals

MICF 2016: Reuben Kaye in PLUGGED

Brilliantly lavish and chaotic cabaret comedy

By Bradley Storer

From the moment he raced into the showroom of The Butterfly Club, Reuben Kaye – Australian-born international cabaret star – was ablaze with demonic energy, clothed in a dazzling sequin dinner jacket and working the crowd from the get-go. After drawing the crowd in with several self-deprecating jabs, Kaye invited us to become ‘plugged’, as per the title of the show, into his world view – and what a wonderful (madcap) world it is.

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Kaye is a whirlwind of magnetic charisma, unsubtle self-loathing and show-biz pizzazz with a devilish undertone, all bundled together with a gigantic stage presence and an equally gargantuan voice. Guiding us through an abbreviated version of his origins with songs ranging from Kate Bush and Celine Dion to Charles Aznavour, his stories of a German ballerina mother and her frank advice growing up drew boisterous laughter. His tale of burgeoning sexual awakening at a Balwyn high school is so beautifully written and masterfully delivered that the audience was completely spell bound.

This is cabaret in what is arguably its purest form – controlled anarchy. Kaye expertly handles the crowd and everything that happens within the performance space so well, folding audience members’ dropped drinks and ringing phones into gut-splittingly funny running jokes, that it almost threatens to derail the main thrust of the show. In all honesty though, it is rare and quite electrifying to watch such a professional command a crowd so thoroughly!

My only criticism would be that the focus on the moment-to-moment interaction and play with the audience sometimes is detrimental to the structure of the show, with links between sections becoming blurred and a finale that arrives surprisingly abruptly after what feels like only a short time, but Kaye’s charisma seems more than adequate recompense for these small complaints.

This is an evening of cabaret at its most elemental and anarchic, commanded by a star blazing so bright you will kick and scream for more! Utterly unforgettable and not to be missed!

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 1 Carson Place, Melbourne.

Time: 10pm

Dates: 5th – 17th April

Price: Full $38 Concession $34 Members $31 Group 6+ $30 Tightarse Tuesday $28

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com, (03) 9663 8107, at the door.

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: A NIGHT AT JAVA JOE’S

A one-man open mic night!

By Narelle Wood

Set in the iconic San Diego coffeehouse Java Joe’s, musician and comedian Broni brings to the stage a cast of characters the typify the diversity and eclectic mix of performers on an open mic night.

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Broni plays all the characters from the host Jimmy to disgruntled employee Clare, to creepy Kenny Deez, to George, an old-timer still coming to terms with losing his dear wife Betsy. Each character has a story to tell and a song to sing that embodies their life experiences and personality. While there is a range of musical genres, including something that sounds reminiscent of Norwegian heavy metal band Lordi, most of the songs have a Country and Western lilt to them. And this seems to work, as most of the characters tend to be moaning about small annoyances rather than anything overly significant.

It is clear that Broni has a great voice and is a talented musician. The audience laughed consistently throughout and sounded like they were having a great time, but I felt like I was missing something, an in-joke that no one cared to explain. The jokes were mostly observational but I found myself more smiling in agreement than laughing out loud, which was more disappointing than usual because there is something completely endearing about Broni that made me want to find the jokes funny.

The range of characters were great but I was expecting more exaggerated personalities: all of it was just a little too close to home to be overtly funny; for instance Kenny Deez is a serious sleaze. It also didn’t help that the times Broni approached some audience members for some interaction but received very little from them saw the energy falling momentarily before he was able to turn it around.

The premise for A Night at Java Joe’s is an interesting one and certainly matched with an audience member who understands his humour, this would be a great fun performance. I would have quite happily settled back and listened to Broni play the guitar and sing all night. It’s an enjoyable show, and worth going for the music with some comedy on the side.

Venue: The Improv Conspiracy Office Space, 19 Meyers Place, Melbourne

Season: Until 3rd April, Thurs-Sat 6.45pm, Sun 5.45pm

Tickets: Full $15| Conc $10

Bookings: http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2016/season/shows/a-night-at-java-joe-s-broni

Cabaret, Festivals, Whats On

MICF 2016: VELVET

Sparkling and sexy disco cabaret

By Bradley Storer

Even before the show began, the atmosphere at the opening night of Velvet was electric. Upon entering, the audience was immediately drawn into the hedonistic disco era through the beats being spun out by music director Joe Accaria on the deck above the stage. The opening image was stark and sudden – centre-stage, a young innocent-seeming man (Brendan Maclean), ukulele in hand and unsure of himself, drawn into the seductive world of a Studio 54-esque dance party filled with bright lights and sequins, the quintessential ‘Boogie Wonderland’, bringing us along with him like Alice down the rabbit hole.

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Velvet is not a traditional narrative theatre piece, but rather a variety-show combining music, song, fabulous costumes and incredible acts of acrobatics and aerial feats, held together by the Dionysian atmosphere of classic disco and the incredible charisma of the performers. After the opening Mirko Kockenberger launched us into the spirit of evening with an wonderful character act that combined acrobatics and strip-tease, channelling a sexy and cheeky energy that provoked the audience into a near frenzy.

Fellow acrobats Emma Goh and Stephen Williams would each have their own moments to shine across the rest of the evening, with amazing aerial acts that combined both of their talents, a highlight being their S&M-themed ballet in the air. Performer Craig Reid was quite possibly the biggest scene-stealer of the night: as a short chubby man dressed in sequined lycra, he was not the traditional image of burlesque glamour. But he wowed the audiences with such stunning hula-hoop skills and an impish and utterly joyful magnetism that you couldn’t help but watch him every second.

From the moment Marcia Hines, as the disco ‘fairy godmother’ of the evening, steps onstage she completely commands the audience. She takes centre stage and tears through numbers like ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before’ and ‘It’s Raining Men’ with such authority that you want to bow down before her. Hines is backed up by two wonderful singers, Chaska Halliday and Rechelle Mansour, who dance up a storm and send chills up your spine with their vocals in their own songs.

Maclean as the young man whose journey and transformation loosely ties the show together is completely charming, with a wonderful and emotive voice that truly comes into its own during the show’s more emotional moments. His blossoming into a fabulous disco creature of the night allows him to unleash his own wild stage presence that burns just as bright as that of Hines.

A daring attempt to fuse elements of cabaret, circus and burlesque, Velvet is a massive success, creating a spectacular world that thrills at every moment and is infused with such glamour, sex and excitement that you just want to visit it again and again!

Venue: The Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt St, Southbank

Dates: 23rd March – 17th April

Bookings: Ticketmaster.com.au

Image by Daniel Linnet