Presented by Soirée Events
Reviewed Wednesday 20th June 2012
Embarking on her debut into the cabaret scene, newcomer Michelle Nightingale's one-woman show chronicles the journey of her performing life so far. The evening is a mix tape of life experiences; from growing up with aspirations to star on “Young Talent time,” to being broadcast to England singing “Advance Australia Fair” in a see-through dress.
Upon entering The Soul Box, the newest venue to the Adelaide cabaret scene, the audience is welcomed by Nightingale and her guest artists. This is a nice touch and reminds us that the art of cabaret is all about the personal connections. The venue is warm and inviting: small enough to create intimacy, and large enough to seat approximately 65 people. Though some improvements with the sound balance are needed at times, this venue will likely play host to many cabaret performances in the future.
The show kicks off with a cute rendition of Miss Byrd, from the musical Closer than Ever, revealing that our hostess plays a variety of roles in her life, some timid and some less so. It quickly becomes apparent that Nightingale comes from one of those sickeningly talented families, as we later have confirmed with a guest performance by her brother, Greg Crowden.
Every song is pitch-perfect while Nightingale's accompanist, Matthew Carey, does not miss a beat. Nightingale shows her theatrical side during a duet of The Song that Goes Like This, with guest artist Michael Denholm. It is here that the sound-balance issues are most obvious: Nightingale tells Denholm that he is “singing far too loud”, yet he is actually much quieter than she is.
This reviewer's highlight of the night was an hilarious duet of Islands in The Stream, with guest artist Eden Plaisted. Beautifully complemented by Plaisted's rich voice, it is in this genre that Nightingale is most relaxed. Also excellent were Nightingale's rendition of Des'ree's Kissing You, and a powerhouse duet performance of I've Been Here Before, with Trish Hart.
Between songs, Nightingale takes the opportunity to use the night as a form of self-therapy. She reveals to us that beneath her bravado, she is actually not a confident person. This point is mentioned several times but Nightingale has no reason not to be confident; her first foray into cabaret is a successful one.
Michelle Nightingale has put together a well-polished show, especially for a first-time cabaret performer. Once she conquers the doubts around her own self-confidence, she will be even more dangerous!
Reviewed by Jimi Gibson, Guest Cabaret Fringe Critic, Glam Adelaide.
Venue: Soul Box, 252 Hindley Street, Adelaide
Season: ended
Duration: 50min
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