Category: Cabaret

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REVIEW: Mike Tsama in RISE OF THE MEMPHIS CAT

Elvis is in the building!

By Christine Moffat

If you ever wondered what it was really like seeing Elvis Presley perform live way back when: before he was a star, before he went Hollywood, before the pills and the booze and the double-bacon-cheese-and-banana burgers, this show is your chance to find out! 

If you’re looking for that cool, truck-driving hunk of rough diamond that Sam Phillips and The Colonel were all shook up about, Mike Tsama is your man.  This 65-minute show takes you back to that time and that guy, with a faultless vocal performance by Tsama that manages to evoke a young Elvis without becoming a mere impersonation (a rare feat). 

Staged at the über-funky cabaret venue The Butterfly Club, the show is perhaps a little big for the room.  I believe this show calls for a big stage and a big, excited, Elvis-digging crowd.  That being said, if a smaller, more intimate (you know what I’m sayin’ Momma?) Elvis experience is what you’re after, this show at this venue is it. 

Although fewer costume changes and a couple less songs would have been preferable, if you go along for the ride this show will be a hell of a lot of fun for cats and kittens, so get clapping along early and you’ll have a ball.  As a concert experience, there is no real narrative or cabaret format, but this is not a kitch and cool outsiders’ show – it’s clearly for Elvis fans and soon-to-be Elvis fans of all ages. 

The combination of Tsama’s voice (which was pitch perfect) and his choice of some lesser-known songs as well as hits made me want to go home and play every Elvis song in my collection.  Oh, and if you’re craving a little extra special attention from The King, sit up and front and your wish might be granted…

Rise of the Memphis Cat

Written, produced & performed by: Mike Tsama

Featuring character voices: Steve McGrath, Meera Belle, David Watkins & Glen Schollum

Venue:  The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank Street, South Melbourne

Times: 7pm Thurs/Fri/Sat, 6pm Sun

Dates: Thurs 24th to Sun 27th May

Ticket prices: $23 Full, $20 Conc, $18 Groups 8+

Booking Details: www.thebutterflyclub.com

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REVIEW: Grant Newsome FROM BOTH SIDES NOW

More concert that cabaret, but an appealing performance

By Maxine Montegomery

“From Both Sides Now” – the Joni Mitchell song title in itself evokes thoughts of inner regret and struggles of the heart.

Grant Newsome’s debut show at The Butterfly Club takes its title from this very song, and sets up an expectation for the audience that they will be taken on an emotional journey with the performer.

Newsome has made a very bold choice in starting the show with Mitchell’s signature song. At the top of a show, we, the audience, know nothing about the person who stands before us – we have no background, no insight to the individual to be able to see the reality of the lyrics as reflected in their own experience. I felt that I was seeing the ‘public face’ of Newsome, rather than seeing the man himself. When he encored the number at the end of the night, he certainly gave the lyrics more candour. The hour-long show was closer in format to concert than solo cabaret, and I couldn’t help but wonder just how much more pathos the song may have carried had Newsome employed his own version of cabaret rhetoric to take the audience into his confidence and bring all the songs together as a whole.

Newsome presented a range of songs that trace the geography of his career, complemented by some of his personal favourites. The audience showed particular appreciation for “Sway”, and a very funky, swung rendition of Doris Day’s “Secret Love”. A fabulous performance of Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” was heightened by the tremendous work of Newsome’s backing duo – Rowland Braché on piano and Rob Nicholls on double bass. Nicholls’ percussive use of the body of the bass during the Queen number may have been quite simple in execution, but it was a delight to watch and hear. Newsome introduced me (and the rest of the crowd) to a gem of a song called “Nathalie” by Gilbert Bécaud. It was in his delivery of the song that he had me fully engaged, for his telling of the story of the piece was very affecting – as he got caught up in the tale, so did I. “Nathalie” was followed by a tri-language rendition of “What Now, My Love?”. At this point in the night, he seemed to relax somewhat and a little of the showman peeled away, letting us see more of Newsome’s true self.

I would like to see Newsome use his voice to the extent of his technical abilities – he clearly has the ability to produce sustained vocal line, and I wish we had heard more of that from him. I can understand the singer wanting to show off his full vocal range by adding an extended melismatic passage to the end of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, but to then break the title word of the song due to the length of the custom-written phrase was disappointing to hear.

A born showman, Newsome looked the part in his golden-hued suit, and his infectious smile certainly completed the picture. It is very easy to see just how at home he would have been on stage at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.   I have no doubt that he has a whole range of experiences in his life which could be translated into a host of solo cabaret shows in the more intimate and personal sense of the genre suitable for a more intimate venue, and I look forward to seeing what he next creates.

From Both Side Now has its final showing at The Butterfly Club on Sunday May 6th at 6pm. For tickets, visit www.thebutterflyclub.com.

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REVIEW: Jenny Wynter in AN UNEXPECTED VARIETY SHOW

Frank and funny, with an unforgettable finale

By Bradley Storer

Entering in complete darkness Jenny Wynter begins her cabaret, An Unexpected Variety Show, exhorting her audience to reflect in the dark on their own lives and choices, before launching into the opening song bearing the same title as the show, marvelling at the many twists and turns one life can take.

This autobiographical show for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes us on a tour of episodes of Wynter’s life, broken up with a wide stylistic range of original songs.

The main theme is the attempt to reconcile youthful dreams of fame and success with the responsibilities of adulthood. There are hilarious numbers about youthful affairs, mother/daughter relationships, and married life all interspersed with costumes changes and (at one inspired moment) puppetry.

While always maintaining a mercurial atmosphere, Wynter does not shy from quite confronting material even from the beginning, touching on her experiences as a young mother, the death of a close family member as a child, and the struggle to balance family life and life as a performer.

Wynter gives off the brassiness and bravado of a veteran showgirl, but with the mature vulnerability of one for whom the show has ended years before. While not always strong vocally, she has the distinct features and versatile singing voice of a classic character actress, ably jumping from a throaty and voluptuous saloon song to a Tina Turner-style soul number and even rapping with aplomb.

While it may not be not mind-blowing, Wynter is a charming performer and has written a show with a big heart and many beautiful moments throughout, in particular one gorgeous and touching segment where Wynter harmonizes with the voice of her own mother (herself a singer), with the finale leaving a smile which is impossible to erase.

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank St, South Melbourne

Dates: April 10th – 22nd

Time: Tuesday/Wednesday/Sunday 6pm, Thursday/Friday/Saturday 7pm

Tickets: At The Butterfly Club, or online at www.thebutterflyclub.com

Full $27
Concession $24
Group (8 or more) $23
Tightarse Tuesday $15

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REVIEW: The Butterfly Club Presents KELFI AND FIKEL

Let’s hear it for the girls

By Maxine Montgomery

Kelfi and Fikel (aka Kellie Della Ca and Fiona Higgins) began their show by walking into the intimate showroom at The Butterfly Club and saying hello to the audience. They asked the names of a few of us and in that moment, we were all put deliciously on edge, unsure if we were going to be called up for audience participation or left in peace. The girls then opened the show with a stint of casual banter, giving a feel of having being invited over for coffee and a chat. It set the tone for an evening of frankness, irreverence and fun.

From the outset, their long standing friendship was obvious – they clearly share a similar twisted sense of humour, and they have an inherent love and understanding of each other. These factors combined serve them very well throughout the show. Their character-based sketches are slick, clever and fast-paced in delivery. Kellie and Fiona have created a broad range of characters, and through them they are able to pass comment on anything and everything. Without these characters, they may not be able to push the envelope as far as they do and still have the audience on side. I found myself fully engaged in all scenarios, bar one – the less-than-macho koala and kangaroo sketch. After beginning well and bringing forth giggles from the audience, it seemed to run too long and in doing so, lost some of its impact.

The sketch comedy of Kelfi and Fikel is strongly supported by their original songs and their delivery of same. The girls’ voices seem to be made to sing together. Backed by Kellie’s capable piano-playing, their vocals are strong and their written harmonies are delivered with confidence. Their opening song, “We Go Together”, is a wonderful catalogue of all the best and worst pairings that have ever been – I sat there crying with laughter thinking, “Oh, no, they didn’t just go there?!” One of my favourite moments started as something of a nod to “My Favourite Things” and ended up as a euphemistic love letter to the vagina… Fine line trodden? Yes… Side-splittingly funny? Oh, my word, yes!

Kelfi and Fikel have created a show that is ‘oh, so right’ because in places it is ‘oh, so wrong’. These two know how to have fun, not take themselves too (at all?!) seriously, and invite the audience along for the ride. If you’re a fan of the likes of The Fast Show and The Catherine Tate Show, then the comedy and music of Kelfi and Fikel is sure to delight.

The show runs at The Butterfly Club as a part of the 2012 Melbourne Comedy Festival every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 10:20pm until April 21. For tickets, go to www.thebutterflyclub.com

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REVIEW: Simon Taylor’s 10 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT YOU

Fall in love with laughter!

By Adam Tonking

Every now and then a show comes along that you can’t help but fall in love with. One of the many joys of reviewing is that I get to write a love letter to it.

I admit it, I have a crush on 10 Things I Know About You, written and performed by Simon Taylor.

On the surface, this show is about psychology, a topic that clearly fascinates Taylor. He takes us through the psychology of morality, delusion, love, comedy, and ultimately happiness; but this is first and foremost a comedy routine, and it is hilarious.

Taylor sings to us, he dances for us, he regales us with stories from his life and quotes from his psychology textbook. He is so delightful, and so very talented, that you can’t resist being drawn into his upbeat exploration of the human mind.

In between the constant laughs and all the psychology, this is a cleverly-crafted show. Taylor is in complete control of his audience and his material the entire time; no line is superfluous, no joke misses its mark. Even when it’s informative, it never ceases to be funny. And through all of his antics, he never strays from the flow of his narrative arc.

The various butts of his jokes were sometimes a little too obvious, but he comes at them from a fresh perspective, and keeps them contextual. It never feels like pandering, or playing for cheap laughs.

All of this builds to an amazing finale of such simplicity and brilliance it blows you away. You leave the show with a smile on your face and a spring in your step, and – if you’re me – head home to write a love-letter to it.

Taylor’s show is magnificent, and I dare you to see it and not come out feeling better about the world. And a little bit in love.

But enough gushing like a schoolgirl. Simon Taylor’s 10 Things I Know About You is on at The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank St, South Melbourne from Wednesday 28 March till Sunday 22 April, at 8pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, and 9pm Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Book at www.thebutterflyclub.com, and do it now.

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Review: THE BAD BOYS OF THEATRE are Not Quite Right In The Head

The boys are back in town!

By Meg Richardson

John Frankland and Andrew Strano are the Bad Boys of Music Theatre. And these well dressed, so called “Bad Boys” are back with their second full-length cabaret.

While their show last year declared their undying “bromance”, the boys have delved deeper into their psyches in this year’s show to explore psychological issues that are often found in the showbiz industry such as upstaging, narcissism, identity issues and many more.

This hour-long comedic cabaret has Andrew trying to help John to solve his crippling social anxiety by convincing him that he is a qualified psychiatrist. The audience is then taken on a journey of hypnosis, confessions and stories of daddy issues, childhood bullying and other would-be-sensitive issues of both John and Andrew’s pasts that have been stripped naked in the most jocular of ways. (We also see John literally stripped during the performance).

John and Andrew have a dynamic chemistry on stage that is apparent from the very beginning of the performance  with Andrew’s manic energy and lanky physical comedy balanced perfectly with John’s firmer, drier (and considerably shorter) comic stance.

With a clever blend of silly banter, re-worded cover songs, original numbers and multi-media, these two men have created a pace that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.  The boys cover artists ranging from Queen to (a rather large dedication to) Justin Bieber so there is something for almost any age group throughout the performance.

The multi-media arrangement of sound and video was near flawless and the cheesy, OTT pre recordings added an atmosphere to the show that couldn’t have been created on stage alone. Among these recordings were mock-up music video clips, television drama clips and a view into the human subconscious which had the audience laughing, singing and dancing along.

On top of all this, the duo have compiled a number of original songs that showcase their not only their hilarious writing ability, but their excellent vocal talent. They have also utilized their pianist, Lachlan – for more than just a few punch lines, but also as a vocal accompanist to add further levels to their already smooth, well blended harmonies.

The pair make a dynamic team and their newest production is really a delight to watch. They may not be “quite right in the head” but this performance is quite right in almost every way.

Venue: Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran VIC 3181
Dates: 28 March- 1st April
Times: Wed-Sun 7:30pm, Thurs, Sat & Sun 2pm
Tickets: $25 Full, $20 Concession
Bookings: (03) 8290 7000, www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

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Review: THE GREATEST MEDLEY OF ALL TIME

Gotta love a show that lives up to its title!

By Dean Arcuri

Seasoned Butterfly Club performers Jade Leonard and Trevor Jones combined their musical prowess to create a non-stop cabaret train; having enjoyed their solo works before, I was eagerly anticipating this combination.

With the entire performance being one long medley of camp and classic songs, we were in for a real treat.

Creating The Greatest Medley of All Time is a daunting endeavour but with Jones accompanying their vocals for the full hour of performance as he and Leonard changed tones, styles and tempo with ease, they certainly hit the nail on the head.

Channeling a wide range of musical numbers they opened their mammoth medley with The Lady is a Tramp, but having Trevor sing that the tramp was actually Jade meant we immediately settled in for a night of fun!

Joking they were the best wedding band of all time, the two performers contrasted great jazz, music theatre and diva showstoppers with classic love ballads  like Endless Love and The Mirror Has Two Faces, changing tempo and mood by clever segues into Man in the Mirror and Valerie in tributes to musicians past.

Jade sings with such sweetness you would think her diaphragm is dipped in honey. This is singing with a tone and beauty that seems to surround and engulf the space around you, leaving the listener to be swept up by the sounds of this siren.

Trevor balanced with ease between fine vocals and continuous accompaniment: he never tired and his exuberance and uniquely enigmatic style was intoxicating. Sharing the spotlight we are swept up in the power of their duet ballads as well and the sass and spunk of their solo numbers.

The only problem with a never-ending medley is have to pick when to applaud, but the audience seemed content to wait till the show’s conclusion to cheer and even sing along when we hit the fabulous Grease Mega Mix.

Both performers have a sense of showmanship and musicality that carried through from number to number, keeping me transfixed. Many moments were spent fighting the temptation to just close my eyes and soak in the sounds: for while the staging was simple, closing my eyes would have meant missing the sight of the obvious joy they both brought to the medley. 

An hour was not enough – we need more! Fingers crossed for return seasons of this vibrant cabaret show in the near future…

 

The Greatest Medley of All Time  was performed at The Butterfly Club from 22-25 March.

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REVIEW: The Song Company Presents LOVE IN VENICE

 Sex, Comedy and… Classical Music?!

By Anastasia Russell-Head

Early Baroque music – madrigals, the sweet harmonies of Monteverdi, purity of sound, tra-la-la-la-la, etc… A bit twee, all sweetness and light, we might think?

…Oh no, it’s all about sex!

With racy lyrics involving “blazing ardour”, “biting teeth”, “thrusting darts” and lots of “death” (think metaphorically), it really helps to have the translation of the original Italian at hand to fully appreciate Monteverdi’s “erotic” madrigals!

Supplied with comprehensive program notes (with full translations) we were treated to an aural feast last night at the Melbourne Recital Centre’s intimate Salon, in The Song Company’s inaugural Melbourne subscription concert: Love in Venice. The first half of the program featured eleven of the aforementioned madrigals, performed with exquisite beauty and precision by the six seasoned singers of the company. Special mention must be made of sopranos Susannah Lawergren and Anna Fraser, whose performance of the duet O come sei gentile was one of the many highlights.

From the sublime to the ridiculous – the focus after interval changed to comedy. Including props, puns, crazy accents and general hilarity, the performance of Adriano Banchieri’s (1567-1643) A Boat from Venice bound for Padua conjured some genuine belly laughs from the audience – not what you generally expect from a classical music concert!

Just as Shakespeare and other literary figures are still relevant in the twenty-first century, so too can be the music from the past. This concert served to illustrate that humour from seventeenth-century Italy can still be funny in Melbourne in 2012, and that human lust and love hasn’t really changed that much in 400 years. The Song Company is to be commended for this accessible, high-quality and extremely enjoyable production. I just wish the audience were encouraged more to clap between songs!

The Song Company’s Love in Venice was performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre on March 12, 2012.

Clive Birch (bass), Richard Black (tenor), Mark Donnelly (baritone), Anna Fraser (soprano), Lanneke Jones (mezzo), Susannah Lawergren (soprano) and Artistic Director Roland Peelman. With Tommie Andersson (lute/theorbo/Spanish guitar) and Laura Vaughan (lirone/gamba).

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Last Few Days To SAVE MELBOURNE CABARET FESTIVAL!

Geoffrey Rush already gave the shirt off his back…

Literally! Melbourne Cabaret Festival is desperate to raise the $15000 that will allow it to go ahead this year, and Geoffrey Rush offered his support with a limited addition Pirates of the Caribbean t-shirt being donated to the prize draw.

Although the t-shirt was soon won by a happy contributor, there are still lots of exciting offers for you to win when supporting this great campaign.

The unique reward list on the ‘crowdfunding’ website Pozible includes a wide variety of free tickets and memberships, a personalised caricature (only one left!), a private supper booth in the famous Spiegeltent, your own personal piano man for an evening, or a recorded bedtime story (!), a free burlesque class  or even a house cabaret!

With exceptional Melbourne and international cabaret artists like Amanda Palmer, Sammy J and Randy, Kaye Sera, Trevor Jones, Karin Muiznieks, Luke Escombe, Anne Edmonds and The Jane Austen Argument offering their services, your donation to save this year’s Melbourne Cabaret Festival immedately becomes an exciting prize pack: nothing like supporting a good cause and getting an fanastic reward of your choice!

However, this is THE LAST WEEK of the campaign, so if you don’t get in quick, not only do we miss out on once again rejoicing in one of the most vibrant, diverse and extraordinary music and performance festivals in Australia – you also miss out on your chance for a once-in-a-lifetime prize.

Cabaret in Melbourne has a well-earned reputation for exceptional and exciting performers and performances, and in recent years, the Melbourne Cabaret Festival has been the premiere showcase for the greatest local and international cabaret stars have to offer.

We don’t want to lose this!

Check out the campaign and the rewards for yourself HERE! 

Save Melbourne Cabaret Festival!

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REVIEW: Fabian Lapham in REALITY CAN BLOW ME

Opening a chaotic can of comedy

By Adam Tonking

Fabian Lapham’s Reality Can Blow Me is a one-man show more in the style of a stand-up routine than anything else. He takes to the stage, nervous and awkward, and explains self-deprecatingly that there is no linear narrative, that the nature of reality will not be discussed, and nothing will get blown.

Then he amuses the audience for the next fifty minutes with various shtick; from observational humour, to one-liners, to sight gags, to comedic songs… Everything is thrown at the audience to make them laugh.

And it worked. While Lapham’s show would have been much better suited to a larger audience than were present the night I attended, our small group were laughing and applauding heartily at Lapham’s various antics. His running gags – dance routines commenting on the action, and impersonations of impersonations – scattered throughout the show were received particularly well.

My personal highlight was his series of “Tiny Stories,” including a novelisation of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, told as a noir detective story. His songs were clever and well-written, if not well-executed, and build to a great finale – every show needs a good ending.

Lapham is clearly a talented comic, but the constant shift of pace as he switched between different styles of comedy was at times confusing for the audience as they struggled to keep up. The gags were genuinely funny, and giving the audience more time to absorb them would have helped.

Lapham’s self-referential commentary on the progress of the show seemed a slightly dated device, and at times appeared apologetic for the show’s lack of structure. However, there were enough entertaining moments in the show to make it a fun night out, and to suggest great things from Lapham in the future.

Fabian Lapham’s Reality Can Blow Me is on at The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank Street, South Melbourne, from Thursday 1st March till Sunday 4th March at 9pm, or 8pm on Sunday. Book at www.thebutterflyclub.com