Nadler deceives and charms in Razzle Dazzle, proving once again why he is an icon of cabaret
Presented by: Adelaide Cabaret Festival
Reviewed: 15 June, 2023
‘Everything I’m about to tell you is a lie.’ This is Mark Nadler’s announcement at the beginning of this satirical show, before he regales the audience with stories and songs about lies, lying and liars. Nadler quickly proves why he is such an icon in the cabaret industry, and it’s more than just his vocal, piano and tap-dancing skills. He is a true showman, and had the audience eating out of his hand from the first chord.
The show explored lies in their many forms, beginning with the little white lies we tell every day (your cheque is in the mail; that jacket really suits you; I didn’t receive that email), and moving to the lies we tell children, complete with a medley of songs about the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, and the boogeyman. The show then took a more serious turn with songs such as The Lies of Handsome Men and The Great Pretender. Nadler shows his skill in storytelling in these songs in particular, driving the full depth of lyrical meaning home to the audience.
Nadler intersperses the songs with comments that are obviously lies, but the cleverness lies in the truths are all the more obvious because of the lie. And of course a show about lies wouldn’t be complete without commentary on the wealth of lies told by politicians, and Nadler impresses the audience with a tap dance accompanied by a patter of famous political lies. Despite the very American theme of this political commentary, enough of the references were familiar to an international audience to be relevant, though it would have been nice to have some Australian references, considering the audience.
Nadler is an impressive multi-talent, with smooth vocals, sharp tap dancing, and showy piano playing – sometimes all at the same time! As a pianist myself, I did find some of his piano playing a little messy, particularly in the bigger showtunes and stride, but Nadler’s charm lies in his compelling storytelling and utter confidence, both of which were highly regarded by the audience.
Though The Old Razzle Dazzle has closed, fans of Mark Nadler can see him at his other Cabaret Festival offering, Hootenanny, playing 17th June.
Reviewed by Kristin Stefanoff
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: The Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: Ended
Duration: 1hr 20min
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