Ursula Yovich takes ownership of Nina Simone’s catalogue in this powerful and moving show
Presented by: Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed: 5th June, 2026
Ursula Yovich is a well-known name in Australian theatre and film, having played roles in The Sapphires and Australia, to name a few, and this performance shows that she is also a powerhouse vocalist. Ursula and her 4-piece band, led by her music director Adam Ventoura, brought an hour of music from Nina Simone’s extensive catalogue, but she doesn’t simply sing a selection of Nina’s most famous tunes. Instead, the set list focused on Black pride, the struggles that people of colour have had to deal with throughout history, and human empathy.
The show opened with a lively rendition of Sinnerman, in which Ursula showed exactly why she is the perfect person to sing Nina’s songs. Her voice, with it’s pure power in her belt and intimate huskiness in the softer moments, at times sounds eerily like the High Priestess of Soul herself. The rest of the set list followed a similar theme: Black is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Four Women, Ain’t Got No, I Got Life, and more. Several songs cleverly blended together as medleys, with one beautiful moment being a medley from Ne Me Quitte Pas into I Love You Porgy.
Between songs, Ursula shared personal stories, highlighting parallels between her life and Nina’s and drawing attention to common experiences of prejudice against people of colour, while also emphasising empathy and love for all humanity. She was softly spoken, a surprising contrast to her singing voice, but despite this she commanded the attention of every person in the room. When she spoke, you could hear a pin drop, and the respect the audience held for her was palpable.
The most powerful moment of this wholly remarkable show was the song Strange Fruit. Backlit by a red light, Ursula brought so much emotion and weight to every lyric. Closing this thoughtfully selected set list was Everything Must Change, highlighting that although prejudice, racism and oppression have been ongoing themes in the history of people of colour, as a human race we can change for the better.
Ursula was supported by a brilliant band consisting of Adam Ventoura (music director and bass guitar), Daniel Pliner (piano), Fabian Hevia (drums), and Daniel March (electric guitar). As a unit they shifted effortlessly between ballads and uptempo numbers, and showcased their remarkable musicianship with solo moments in the closing number.
There is only one more performance of this incredibly powerful show, so make sure you snag a ticket while you can.
Reviewed by Kristin Stefanoff
Photo credit: Claudio Raschella
Venue: The Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 5 – 6 June 2026
Duration: 60min
Tickets: $30 – $59 (plus booking fee)
Bookings: https://cabaret.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/ursula-yovich-sings-nina-simone
