Completely enthralling with a chaotic charismatic stage presence
Presented by: Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed: 20 June 2024
Award-winning performer and musician iOTA came to Adelaide for a one-night only Cabaret Festival show, Enter the Dragon.
Enter the Dragon received intimate staging in the Banquet Room of the Adelaide Festival Centre. A circle of red and white electric candles surrounded a single stool and two guitars. The cabaret seating was sprawled comfortably apart yet with the lighting and iOTA’s stage presence it felt like a closer, cosier experience.
iOTA has performed in flamboyant roles in musicals such as Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and starred as Doof Warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road. For the Cabaret Festival show, they were conservative by comparison in a pin-striped suit, brilliant dragonfly brooch, and signature makeup.
Enter the Dragon had a loose flow to the entire performance. There wasn’t a set list or script of stories to underpin the show. The general style started slow and mellow, and from there built on what the audience was keen to hear. iOTA responded to audience hints and requests that drew upon their impressive catalogue of work.
Favourites from their independent releases and the hit musicals were incorporated into the show. The story moments in between the songs were instead a moment for dry wit and blunt comments in order to move quickly to the next song creating an overall musically packed show.
iOTA has a chaotic, charismatic presence and incredible vocals. It was enchanting to watch them in full stride during their songs. The stripped-back nature of the show centred their voice, which was a commanding pleasure to experience.
The quick standing and shaking out the shivers between each song highlighted a genuineness to them as a performer, and their skill and knowledge as a musician shone in their approach to song requests from the audience.
Enter the Dragon was a single performance for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. The hour and ten minute show was over too quickly. It was completely enthralling and could have easily been double in length while still feeling like a sample of iOTA as a singer and performer.
Reviewed by Alex Dunkin
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: ended
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