Tag: The Butterfly Club

Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

Review: TWO-RING CIRCUS – The Songs of Crowded House

Wonderfully more than a tribute show

By Adam Tonking

The idea of sitting through the greatest hits of Crowded House as not performed by Crowded House may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea – indeed, I’m not sure it sounds like mine.

Thank God then, for Matt Bradshaw and Dominic Italiano of Two-Ring Circus, and for their masterful performance of these oh-so-familiar songs. Bradshaw and Italiano are consummate performers, and they are charming and delightful – plus you can’t deny the appeal of those songs.

Bradshaw and Italiano were inclusive and welcoming from the start – it was like hanging out with your super-awesome friends, who are wickedly talented, while they play their favourite songs with such love and joy. If these aren’t your favourite songs, they may well be by the time Two-Ring Circus are through with you. In between musical numbers they discuss the different aspects of this music that fills them with such passion and admiration, and you can’t help but be swept up by their enthusiasm.

This was clearly a well-honed act that flowed beautifully between heartfelt tribute and just damn entertaining. Bradshaw and Italiano play easily off each other, and off the audience, without any pretension or self-consciousness. Their skills as musicians are impeccable, their voices heart-melting, their guitar-playing breath-taking.

I was particularly impressed by the small details – their use of a loop machine to create a beat was a rather elegant way to get around having no drummer, and their ability to work a microphone (sadly, a rare trait in a lot of performers) left me in no doubt as to the capabilities of these performers.

Bradshaw and Italiano breathe new energy into these oft-played standards, just through their obvious love and respect for the material. Frankly, I can’t imagine enjoying Crowded House more than I did Two-Ring Circus. Run quickly to see tribute done correctly.

Two-Ring Circus – The Songs of Crowded House is on at The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank Street, South Melbourne, from Tuesday 13th March till Sunday 18th March at 8pm Tuesday & Wednesday, 9pm Thursday till Saturday, and 8pm on Sunday.

Book at www.thebutterflyclub.com and do it quick.

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

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.

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On

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.

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On

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

 

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Whats On

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.

Events, Performances, Review, Stand-Up Comedy, Whats On

Review: AUSTEN TAYSHUS is The Merchant of Menace

Merciless night of comedy with an Australian icon

By Anastasia Russell-Head

The Butterfly Club’s small performance space was comfortably almost-filled on Saturday night for Australian icon, the raw and politically incorrect Austen Tayshus.

Known to many for his hit 1983 single Australiana, he is a veteran of the stand-up scene, having performed over 10,000 shows.

Taking to the stage in his trademark dark suit and shades, he proceeded to spin a web of comedic tangents, sometimes with a punchline or two thrown in for good measure.

The subjects of his humour were shown no mercy, with Jews, Muslims, South Africans, and Australians alike in the firing line.

Most of this is hilariously funny, especially his imitations of accents, which are spot-on. Some of it however, sails rather close to the wind, and in my opinion several of the Muslim jokes in particular go a bit too far.

That said, his wit is unprejudiced, and everyone is tarred with the same brush – himself, his career, even the audience, who are berated if they are not laughing enough, and teased when they laugh too much.

The audience is often a source of comedic ammunition – people’s marriages, jobs, state-of-sobriety – but no-one is offended; rather we all feel part of the joke.

Genuinely funny, clever, and an extremely engaging performer, Austen Tayshus is one-of-a-kind – catch him while and when you can.

You may even be treated to a live rendition of Australiana if you’re lucky!

Austen Tayshus: The Merchant of Menace played at The Butterfly Club Nov 5 2011.

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Festivals, Performances, Whats On

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.

Cabaret, Events, Performances, Whats On

Forget Your Troubles! The Return of HAPPINESS 101

Because EVERYONE needs more  Happiness-ology in their lives!

Having a bad day?

Here’s something to make you smile!

That’s right, ladies and gentleman, our favourite comedy cabaret guru and aspiring academic is back for a second season to remind us that laughter IS the best pseudo-science!

After a debut of feel-good performances and full-houses, Professor Gravis (aka Melissa Trickey) will be back with her lovable cabaret show, Happiness 101, and the good professor promises us it will be bigger, better, and WAY more happy!

It’s guaranteed to turn you from this…

 

 

…to this!

 

 

Mel Trickey, a mainstay of Melbourne music theatre, successfully tuned her talents into cabaret earlier this year, and is delighted to be returning to The Butterfly Club for four additional performances next week.

For fans of the first season, there is rumoured to be some new intrigues and song surprises, along with all your favourite hilarious spoofs of academia, aspirations and ABBA!

So get Glee-ful, sing for joy, and unleash your dancing queen: this show is simply and utterly a great laugh in good company, and a really fun night out!

Come on – get happy!

Happiness 101: A quirky cabaret about ploys for joy, measures for pleasure and practising what you preach.

Warning: Comedy is contagious…!

Written and performed by Melissa Trickey

Directed by Kim Edwards

Accompanied by Rowland Braché

Venue:  The Butterfly Club

204 Bank Street South Melbourne

Dates: Thur- Sun 13-18 Oct

Times: Thur-Sat 7pm, Sun 6pm

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Festivals, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Porcelain Punch Travelling Medicine Show

Porcelain Punch: It’s the pick of the bunch

By Deborah Langley

The Butterfly Club has been transformed from quirky little cabaret venue into a big top for the Porcelain Punch Traveling Medicine Show being performed as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2011.

The show begins in the style of a silent movie before our performers take to the stage to announce our evening’s sponsor (all great shows must have a great sponsor, right?)

This show is sponsored by Porcelain Punch If you haven’t heard of it, you will by the end of the night!

I personally am sold on its medically proven abilities: why, it’s the creme del a creme of health tonics, god bless!

The evening is hosted by two exceptional performers, MC Lenny (Luke O’Connor) & Miss Ellie Mae Rose (Madeline Hudson) who keeps the audience in wonderment as the proof of the punch is explored through the experiences of those who get to try just a sip. 

Hudson is a standout as she sings and accompanies most tunes and performs with the most wickedly expressive face that suits the era to a tee (oops, I mean ‘punch’).

Other highlights have to include when our MCs were able to cure a man from the audience of… (What was it he had? Gangrene?) One sip of the tonic and he was dancing a jig in perfect health.

Audiences are enchanted by some great sideshow characters and their unique approach to the ridiculous.

The ensemble including Alexander Gellman, Emilie Minks, Christy Flaws and Kate Boston Smith bring farcical humor, unique circus skills, hilarious satire and just a touch of magic to the stage in a night of old school entertainment at its best.

True to form, the Porcelain Punch Traveling Medicine Show is a gang of misfits that roll into town to perform their tricks with great enthusiasm and humor.

A brilliant show which I recommend you all brave the cold nights to see, before they blow out of town again.

Dates: Tues 27 Sept – Sun 2nd Oct

Times: Tues, Weds, Sun at 8pm – Thurs, Fri, Sat at 9pm

Tickets:$27, $24 conc, $23 groups 8+

The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank St, South Melbourne

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Cabaret, Cabaret Review, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: N3rd Girl Versus The Zombie Apocalypse

The zombies are finally here!

by Kate Boston Smith

N3rd Girl Versus the Zombie Apocalypse is the debut performance for Jen Coles. Self-proclaimed nerd and zombie-flick lover Coles transforms the ever-gorgeous Butterfly Club showroom to an apocalypse-survival bunker where zombies are a very real and a literal threat. 

Taking the role as ‘leader’ Coles is fully equipped with facts, tips, instructions and imitation artillery….(very cute). 

For the zombie uninitiated (such as myself) she takes us through a thorough information session complete with song and group audience participation (beware the faint of heart!). The lengthy introduction to the world of zombie awakening soon gives way to some very clever songs about what to do and how to cope in these new surroundings.

Rowland Brache on piano is not only a gorgeous accompanist but brilliant co-actor.  The play between the pair is effortless and sweet.  You can tell that together they have had great fun devising these moments and one can only imagine the antics and hilarity that ensued during the rehearsal process.

On a side note, the performance felt like it lacked a certain urgency. Perhaps more fear in the character, more fuller electricity, is needed to really propel the zombie experience forward. That said, it was opening night and I am sure Coles will “feel the fire” of the brain-eating apocalypse as the season progresses. 

Coles’ songs grew and grew throughout the piece.  My favourite moment was her heart-warming and hilarious ballad of love to an unsuspecting audience member. This was on par to the grand finale, which was a romping good time in itself. There is nothing like a few surprises saved til the very end to leave your audience grinning with delight.

This is a cabaret for those who love their zombies, musicals and fantasy served on a cranium-platter….

Mmmm, brains!

 

N3rd Girl Versus the Zombie Apocalypse

Written and  performed by Jen Coles

Directed by Kim Edwards

Accompanied by Rowland Brache

Fri – Sat 7pm, 6pm Sunday

Tix $22/19/18 group

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com