Cabaret legend Ali McGregor hosts a a wonderful late night variety Cabaret show
Presented by: Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed: 9 June, 2023
A variety show, led by the inevitable cabaret legend Ali McGregor, which samples many of the delightful, amusing and glamorous acts within this year’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival line-up.
Unsurprisingly, the acts at this variety show are all of high quality calibre, with Friday night’s array ranging from international performers all the way from New York and the UK, to both Adelaide and interstate talent. Ali provides cleverly entertaining mash-ups, including combos of the classic Nancy Sinatra song Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and the Jessie J pop banger, Bang Bang, as well as Queen’s Somebody to Love blended with Lizzo’s vintage-tune sampling Cuz I Love You. A highlight is also Ali’s sultry rendition of Nina Simone’s I Put A Spell On You as she comedically traverses through the audience under the participatory lighting of audience’s mobile phones.
The New York act Broadway Barbara – a viral TikTok sensation – graces the stage with her hilarious ageing, wanna-be Broadway-star personality, with voluminous short grey hair, and a gorgeous harlequin-patterned, sequinned, long-sleeved dress. Her self-deprecating humour is mixed in with laughter-inducing covers, like Eminem’s famous rap song, Lose Yourself.
Zimbabwean-born performer Thndo, who stormed the stage on The Voice Australia and has been titled the new Queen of R&B and soul (and loves to pair her classically-beautiful dresses with her street-wear Jordans) nails Natalie Cole’s What A Difference A Day Makes with smooth vocals that melt gloriously in your ears.
UK-based Sarah-Louise Young, whose show ‘An Evening Without Kate Bush’ was discovered at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, takes to the stage while wearing a large, feathered, wing-like designed head-piece, that matches the captivating drama of her performance. Her airy, ethereal vocals, which especially stand out while performing Hounds of Love, are also magically reminiscent of Florence Welch’s performances of slower Florence + The Machine songs.
A highlight of the show also includes the sassy talent of local Adelaide showgirl Jess Love, who doesn’t have a show in this year’s festival, but has now set a great precedent for including more clever local acts in the variety hour (hint hint, Ali). Jess’s humorously over-unenthusiastic and un-bothered stage presence is an attention-grabbing contrast within the show as she almost mocks the conventional ’showgirl’ enthusiasm, plus – who doesn’t love some nude hula-hooping?
The finishing variety act – and the winner of the Icon Award at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival Gala that night – Hans, dressed in a feather hat, matching purple cape, and a sparkly lederhosen-like outfit, owns the stage, alongside his scantily-clad back-up dancers who are named by Hans as ’The Lucky Bitches’. After Han’s serious injury while performing on a cruise ship in 2022, it’s especially great to witness his energetic performances (which always include fabulous dance-breaks), and a rendition of Lizzo’s upbeat Juice is highly memorable.
Ali and the performers are backed up by a talented local jazz band, with the beloved piano-player Sam Keevers at the helm, and include piano, trumpet, drums and bass guitar.
Variety shows are always a great way to sample many acts within one space, and this one is of top-notch quality, with Ali McGregor – the Queen of the cabaret stage – hosting the night.
Reviewed by Georgina Smerd
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: Ended
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