Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter iOTA returns to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival this week with the premiere of his new show, Enter The Dragon.
iOTA has also forged a hugely successful career as an actor, writer, composer and voice-over artist. He has appeared in films such as The Great Gatsby and Mad Max: Fury Road, as well as stage shows such as Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Rocky Horror Show.
Ahead of iOTA’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival performance, Glam Adelaide spoke to him about the show and whether he prefers one creative outlet over another, after his experience in so many areas?
“I like them all. I think the best part about doing so many things is being able to move from one to the other when I get bored. So each one can keep me engaged in some form of creativity at any time when I need change…I get bored easily!”
iOTA went on to share with us what drew him to forge such a successful career in the arts.
“It’s partly intentional and partly accidental. Creative opportunities have popped up throughout my life and I’ve taken advantage of them. Certainly if they’re something that I’m intrigued by. It’s all art; it’s all colour and sound, shapes, movement, light and shade, acting, singing, painting, playing guitar…It’s all art.”
iOTA has performed in festivals all around the world. We asked him what he loves about festivals in particular.
“I love the people, and that the artists are all in the same place and in the same hotel – you never know who you’ll bump into. I have friends I only ever see once a year at the hotel bar – there are a lot of shenanigans! The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is also well organised and world renowned – who wouldn’t want to be there?! I only wish all the artists could be there for the whole festival!”
iOTA’s brand new show Enter The Dragon opens this Thursday night, June 20, as part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.
“It’s me sitting at a microphone playing guitar, telling stories and singing songs. It’s not scripted – it’s a pretty simple concept. It will be interactive and there’s plenty of chat and back and forth with the audience. I’ll play original songs, songs from various shows I’ve been involved with and we might even make something up – anything could happen. I’ll even take requests! It’s basically a campfire sing along.
“This show is a work in progress and will be continually developing as time goes on. It’s never the same. I never play the same songs and I never play them in the same order. I have a large list of songs to choose from but they won’t all be played – it’s very random. The show IS a creative process.”
Enter The Dragon will only play for one night, Thursday 20 June at 9.30pm.
Enter The Dragon
Thursday 20 June at 9.30pm
Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre
https://cabaret.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/whats-on/iota
Photo credit: Adam DeVille
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