This show was a great example of what cabaret is all about –challenging the audience's comfort zone, political, revealing the hidden histories, and speculating on the future
Presented by: Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed: 17 June, 2023
This collection of songs, poems and memories presented by Robyn Archer demonstrated, yet again, what a consummate performer she is. Brilliant accompaniment by George Butrumlis on accordion, Cameron Goodall on guitars and Enio Pozzebon on keyboards – with all three contributing to the vocals – rounded out the show.
The show opened with a very funny song Archer had written in 1988 for the Australian Bicentenary, explaining who she wasn’t – often much easier than describing who one is. She is not Crocodile Dundee or Bazza McKenzie and only occasionally was she like Dr Germaine Greer. Feminist songs were in evidence throughout the show, accompanied by a sad commentary that although a song might be 30 or 40 years old, nothing much had changed regarding women’s safety, or freedom from harassment.
First Nations songs also featured in the Songbook, as Archer paid her respects to wonderful Indigenous songwriters and performers. Talents such as Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach, both younger than her but gone before their time. Her reference to a ‘Yes’ vote in the Voice referendum drew cheers from the audience.
The depth and breadth of this Australian Songbook covered almost 200 years, with the earliest song an emigrant’s lament on leaving loved ones having been written in 1829. Archer reminded us that we are a nation of immigrants and the treatment of those from other lands has not always been kind. The politically charged nature of the performance was brilliantly on show through Julia Gillard’s famous misogyny speech which had been set to music by Rob Davidson.
Australia has a great history of political parody and it too was on show with an hilarious excerpt from Keating the Musical. This show was a great example of what cabaret is all about –challenging the audience’s comfort zone, politics, revealing the hidden histories, and speculating on the future.
Reviewed by Jan Kershaw
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: Ended
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes including a 20 minute interval
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