Archive for category Cabaret
Dusty Limits: Darkling
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Dusty Limits: Darkling, theSpaces on August 27, 2011
CABARET*** Dusty Limits: Darkling
SpaceCabaret @ 54
The cabaret legend Dusty Limits returns to the Fringe with Darkling.
Looking at all things melancholy – and indeed suicidal – seems an odd choice for a show but it actually works thanks to Dusty’s wry observations on life. His style is an interesting mix of burlesque and vaudeville and at times stark honesty as he recounts his battle with depression and the search for love. He is instantly likeable and one feels so comfortable in his presence despite the lyrics of the self-penned songs being outrageous in the extreme. His voice is rich and strong as he sings with emotion when needed and comedy flair when appropriate too. He is assisted by a pianist and a stand up double bass on stage.
Why the three stars then? Well for me I think his show is just a bit too short, at 45 minutes he is just hitting his stride when the show comes to an end.
However, Dusty continues to be the king, or perhaps queen, of the cabaret scene and you can’t fail to love his style and thoughts on daily life. A little more content and his show is on the way to five stars.
My Judy Journals
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Jazz Bar, My Judy Journals on August 14, 2011
CABARET**** My Judy Journals
The Jazz Bar
Following a sell out season at the famous Butterfly Club during the 2010 Melbourne Midsumma Festival, Rachel Juhasz brings her emotional one woman autobiographical cabaret to the Edinburgh Fringe.
Rachel is a self confessed massive Judy Garland fan and can recount several moments of her life that are symbolised by many of Judy’s most famous songs. This isn’t a show about Judy Garland and nor does she try to physically imitate Judy in anyway. What she does do is open her heart and her teenage and early adult journals to allow us to see how she first found love, accepted it, watched it flicker out and ultimately watch as she had to let the man she loved get away from her. At various points she launches into song in a classy jazz voice very reminiscent of Mrs Garland. Despite suffering from a bout of summer flu she succeeds in getting the audience into her grasp aided by the talented Jonathan Harvey (no not the British writer) at the onstage grand Piano.
Such Garland standards like “You made me love you”, “Embraceable you” and “ the man that got away” feature in the sit list and she also resists the temptation to sing one song you may have heard called “over the rainbow”.
At the end of the hour in her company you can help but feel completely entertained and hoping she really did get the happy ending at the end of the rainbow she so deserves. Catch this one in the home of the Edinburgh jazz scene during here limited engagement during the festival.
Sneasons of Liz
Posted by Martin in Jodie Fleming-Stanley, New Town Theatre, Sneasons of Liz on August 13, 2011
CABARET****
Sneasons of Liz
New Town Theatre
Liz Merendino stars in this fantastically innovative, impassioned glimpse into the formative years of a young woman blighted with allergies ‘so rich and so many that’ she made a show out of them. Merendino plays the part of Liz, who travels the world to escape the crush she’s developed on her step-father. She finds herself in oft comedic situations, with sexual liaisons which break her heart and force her farther round the globe. From the Venezualan cheat, to the London transvestite, and then the Tokyo deserter they all serve to distract Liz from her allergies – before breaking her heart and bringing them back with a vengeance. ‘Pollen comes from male trees – males are the problem!’ states Liz.
Merendino sings her way through the performance, with a velveteen jazz voice somewhat similar to Amy Winehouse. ‘Medieval Dress’ and ‘Stormy Monday’ were my favourite numbers, and the audience was mesmerised by this tiny beautiful woman with a voice which reverberated resoundingly throughout the theatre. Recognition is deserved also by Merendino’s male counterpart in the show, who is the most amazing piano player I have ever heard! And i’ve been to a lot of piano bars across the globe! He tinkled those ivories with such speed and precision that I was transported far into their world. He also spoke several languages and provided a male voice over where necessary. Merendino also projected the voice of her mother, utilising a higher pitched squal and a pair of Deidre glasses to complete the effect.
A sexy, soulful performance with a titilising yet charming appeal that will take Merendino far. This is only the start! See her while you can still afford her!
Cabaret Whore: More! More! More!
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Cabaret Whore: More! More!, Underbelly on August 10, 2011
CABARET*** Cabaret Whore: More! More! More!
Underbelly
Sarah-Louise Young has been performing versions of Cabaret whore at the free festival for the past two years and she as made the leap to a fully fledged hour long slot at one of the big four venues with a good degree of success.
The show starts with Sarah-Louise in character as Bernie St Clair, a washed up lounge singer from New York greeting the audience as they enter the performance space. Bernie has a strong hint of one Liza Minnelli in terms of the vocal tone and the style of vocal singing performance and in-between songs allows us into a life that despite being bitter remains upbeat and positive to her adoring fans in the darkness.
We are then introduced to Kasia an eastern European performance artist with a passion for hearing god from a ukulele. This is a stab at mixing politics with comedy and for me was slightly lost on the audience but does work well in the musical numbers. Kasia gives way to Babydoll a strange creation of character based on a child star who refused to grow up and performs with a 3 foot doll. The humour includes a stab at incest which I found uncomfortable to watch never mind laugh at which is why the show fell from a four star to a three. The show is rounded off with La Poule Plombée a depressive French diva missing her glory days while contemplating suicide. This is strong character based on Edith Piaf and is by far the funniest character and brings the hour to a close with a rousing sing a long in French with her audience.
Sarah-Louise performs hard but the choice of comedy material makes it a show that it times is hard to laugh at, but if your open minded enough and want to try a caustic cabaret hour then perhaps this is the show for you.
Mr Ken Dee in Cabaret
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, C Venues, Mr Ken Dee in Cabaret on August 8, 2011
CABARET*** Mr Ken Dee in Cabaret
C eca
This 50 minute romp of a drag show is very late at night – with plenty of gay humour from the talented Mr Ken Dee.
It’s a shame that he is playing in a venue that is so big – it’s hard to imagine it being filled – but at the performance I attended he had the audience in his hand. He flew through Tina Turner, Lady Gaga and Dame Shirley Bassey routines complete with lightening quick changes for each in a ‘Stars in the Eyes’ style section. He even went as far as to bare all for a Follies Berger number.
Ken does have a sweet voice but knows his limitations so chooses to lip synch on a couple of numbers – to great effect. It’s a very bawdy affair and one which would pack out CC Blooms or Priscilla’s any night of the week.
A good dose of camp late night campery and I hope he gets the audiences to turn out for him.
Fabulous Divas of Hollywood
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Fabulous Divas of Hollywood, theSpaces on August 7, 2011
CABARET*** Fabulous Divas of Hollywood
the Spaces at Surgeons Hall
Alan Palmer, a noted artist from Broadway expands on his Divas of Broadway production with a look at the Diva’s from Holly wood such greats as Better Davis, Joan Crawford, Liza Minnelli, Audrey Hepburn, Julie Andrews and more are carefully woven into a 50 minute show.
Alan performs the show single handed with a little help from a hidden back stage dresser as he whirls through a selection of gowns and outfits related to each divas most famous moment. For me the highlight was his stunning rendition of Judy Garland as she would have been if she were alive today.
To allow the costume changes to happen he allows us into his life of living and working in Hollywood or more to the point the Hollywood system which no longer exists. However the production does fall down a bit as he tries to cover costume changes which are taking too long with asides which cause him to lose track of the script every now and again. I think this will remedy itself as the show beds in to its run.
The whole experience was very late night cabaret, very much becoming of those legendary supper clubs and cabaret rooms of Broadway. A worthwhile production in its late night slot.
Ladyboys of Bangkok
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Lady Boys of Bangkok, Meadows Theatre Big Top on August 6, 2011
CABARET**** Ladyboys of Bangkok
Meadows Theatre Big Top
The fringe stalwarts return to there festival home on the meadows with a brand new production from director Robert Gandey titled Fur Coats and French Knickers.
Its well over a decade since the Ladyboys debuted on the fringe and each year the show tries to change itself. As is the usual the first five minutes have the audience disbelieving that what they are actually seeing is indeed a group of males performing as females.
What follows is nearly two hours of sparkles, colour and comedy as we parade through the hits of Rhianna, Taio Cruz, Shakira, and Katy Perry and for me far too many numbers by Lady Gaga. With lots of audience participation and comedy digs at the likes of Jordan and Peter Andre. This all leads to an over the top finale of New York New York in a Liza Minnelli explosion of glitter, feathers and sequins that has to be been seen to be believed. Concluding the show is a special Scottish Encore which had the audience in the massive Pavilion on their feet to the end.
The Ladyboys have become such stalwarts as it’s so obvious they enjoy what they do on stage and this alone will keep the massive cross section of an audience returning to the pavilion year on year. This for many people is a must see production of the festival diary and I can see why it is.
