Barry Humphries. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Festival Theatre. 20 Jun 2015
In Adelaide during the Cabaret Festival, Barry Humphries can do no wrong no matter how hard he tries.
Hence, audiences laughed and whooped approbation of Sir Les Patterson's most offensive attacks on political correctness. He pushed the proverbial envelope as far as his expelled saliva could go - which, according to the number of people who donned the supplied raincoats, was about four rows deep in the stalls.
Love Songs for Sir Les was the Humphries book-end closer of the 2015 CabFest. It had begun with Dame Edna featured in the sell-out Gala opening show.
Expectations that the love songs would be serenaded to the grotesque parody of a sozzled Ocker polly were not met. Fortunately. The torch singers took turns to own the stage, accompanied by the wonderful Adelaide Arts Orchestra. Sir Les appeared betwixt and between, doing star entrances surrounded by his dancing girls, each time attired in a different soup-stained outfit. Each appearance afforded a song and some new old shtick - priapic promotions of his "purple-headed warrior", jokes about how fat the wife, Gwen, had grown, exercises in P and F words for super spittability.
On the F word front, this was Humphries' chance to spit in the face of those early earnest declarations as CabFest artistic director that there would be no F words in his festival. On that last night, he effed his way across the stage in a contentment of expostulation, racking up enough F words to bring home the irony to even the most obtuse audience member.
She was sitting in the front row, by the way. Humphries described a woman with a face so hard you could strike a match on it. Amazing how he seems to see her in the front row of all his shows.
It was hard to tell who was the MC of the show. Ali McGregor opened the evening and came and went throughout, singing some nice but not riveting songs. Sir Les did some of the introductions and acknowledgements. But there was something missing and, in retrospect, it was Eddy Perfect. The big festival closing show needed a man in the lineup.
That is not, on that flower-bedecked stage, to cast nasturtiums at Trevor Ryan who shone above the women with the brilliant Shirley Bassey of his I'm Every Woman show. He is a national treasure.
From America, Lady Rizo gave a big-voiced Broadway touch of pizazz to the lineup, contrasted by the utter sweetness, beauty and impeccable harmony of the divine SongBirds.
Amelia Ryan looked beyond sensational in a silver lurex sheath but performed a song which was so convoluted that the audience simply lost focus. Where were you, Andy Packer? In both content and movement, she seemed in dire need of a director. But, oh, she did dress the stage well. As did the lovely dancing girls (Adelaide’s The Silhouettes) who, in one Sir Les routine, performed while eating Balfours pies and green frog cakes. Was this history being made? I have never seen dancers eating while hoofing.
Sir Les would not have been Sir Les without featuring his aphorism-ridden Too Many Poofters in the Arts song which has become a classic, nay an anthem, of political incorrectness. But, to give credit to the vile configuration of physical and intellectual repugnance which is Sir Les, he not only gets away with it, but has gays laughing in unison with homophobes. No mean feat.
Now the shows are over. Sir Les has effed off with Dame Edna and their suave alter ego.
And, the city settles down to wait on what wonders Perfect and McGregor will bring to fire up another Adelaide winter.
Samela Harris
When: Closed
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed
Songs From The Middle. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Dunstan Playhouse. 20 Jun 2015
Songs from the middle class, I think, although the kitchen in which Eddy pensively poses in the program pic is a bit posh compared to the middle class kitchen I grew up with. But we at least could afford to have food in the fridge and usually kept the door closed.
Eddy Perfect takes some time to explain that the reason for this show is that since he had a baby, the issue of where is home has arisen. He roared up the Nepean Highway a long time ago to the big smoke, so it was an interesting question. Eddy asked us, "Does anyone know where Mentone is?" but all regular patrons of the Art Gallery of South Australia would be familiar with Charles Conder's 1888 painting, A holiday at Mentone. And this song cycle show is his love letter home.
I've got to tell you, Songs From The Middle is the hit of my Cabaret Festival. Eddy looked sharp in his silver suit and hair fashionably sculpted by strong coastal winds or by running into a door. And he still hasn't lost those kilos he stacked on to play Shane Warne in his (he also wrote the book and lyrics) award-winning eponymous musical in 2008. Look, not important, OK?
Here's what's important. He's very cute. No, OK, OK. The music written by Eddie Perfect and celestially orchestrated by Iain Grandage are in such delicious foil with Eddy's ironic suburban-issued lyrics that I was absolutely delighted by every song, if I wasn't also laughing out loud, reminiscing about my own growing up, moved by stories of Mentone's memorial characters, or simply swept away by the aural beauty of it all. Grandage led musicians from the Australian National Academy of Music playing horns and strings, and a percussionist who had more arms than a Hindu god as she banged away on a seven metre long set-up of instruments.
Many of his songs start with banality and end with profundity. What seemed like a witty ditty about his sister working at Bunnings was really about how the local hardware store man was hung out to dry. Sinister examples of Susan, Mark, Galileo and Jesus liking it better the way it was are reflections on both memory and ambition. Tagging graffiti along the Frankston line is a cry for identity and meaning. The Ikea song was my favourite where the anticipation of relationship failure signaled by yet another hopeful nesting visit to the flat box shop with the new live-in is too much to bear. Or how about the aliens who land in Mentone and ask a kid, "What do we do?" The kid's list of small town activities is so attractive, the aliens hightail it.
And it's all delivered with a natural ease, sincerity, a winning smile, style and clarity. How could you not love the guy? And the music was magnificent! Bravo!
David Grybowski
When: 18 and 20 June
Where: Dunstan Playhouse
Bookings: Closed
Naughty or Nice. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre. 20 Jun 2015
Naughty or Nice is also one of Ray's songs. In it, he says you can say Richard, but you can't say Dick. You can say grab, but you can't say snatch. It's very funny, and I was reminded of another list - Tom Lehrer song of the periodic table. But have you seen his audition on America's Got Talent 2014 when he does his girlfriend's-got-a-penis song? He said he had to shorten his penis song to fit into the American time slot, but he showed us the entire length at the show today. He's got another very funny song about how his mind is always on sex. Gosh, is there a theme here? Have you seen his wife?
Ray is a ripe old 85 and says he didn't start performing until he was 72. But he has a huge catalogue of songs as a Broadway composer-lyricist, some of which have been sung by Louis Armstrong, Michael Feinstein and even David Campbell. They're not all naughty. Several numbers this afternoon were sweet sentimentals of lost loves. He also has an uncanny resemblance to Einstein (he boofs up his hair just in case you didn't see it), so he wrote a self-aggrandising song sung by the scientist complete with German accent. I was pretty sure when spruiking Einstein's genius, he hoped you would be reading that into himself as well. The opening song about memory loss got everybody laughing right away with his feigned half-remembered lyrics. His voice is shot, if it ever was good, I don't know, but he's totally lovable, and his songs are a hoot or hit the heart. Highly recommended, but it's all over, sorry.
David Grybowski
When: 20 Jun
Where: Space Theatre
Bookings: Closed
The SongBirds. Banquet Room. 19 Jun 2015
Based in Los Angeles, The SongBirds are Australian Dannielle DeAndrea, Mexican-American Erica Canales and Guatemalan Gaby Moreno. Showcasing their multicultural origins, the trio perform a repertoire of early American blues, South America calypso and Aussie classics.
DeAndrea, Canales and Moreno start with a focus on the swing, jazz and blues of the American 1920s and 1930s, with tunes from Glenn Miller, Doris Day and an amazing version of Rum and Coca-Cola, popularised in the 1940s by the Andrew Sisters.
In homage to their location and DeAndrea's roots, the second half is dedicated to many of Australia's iconic artists, including Cold Chisel, Olivia Newton John and Hunters and Collectors. The mix of faithful and re-interpreted songs evokes an unexpectedly emotional response, particularly for stirring versions of Throw You Arms Around Me and Peter Allen's Tenterfield Saddler.
Each member of The SongBirds is successful and celebrated in her own right, and together they are sheer brilliance. Reminiscent of a modern day Boswell Sisters, their voices and personalities are as different as they are similar, but they complement each other wonderfully.
DeAndrea is an experienced performer with a strong and versatile vocal that she uses to great effect. Canales' natural talent and classical training combine to produce a truly impressive quality; she shines all night. With a more raw and unique style, Emmy nominee Moreno steals the show during her solo and lead numbers. Her voice is child-like and soothing, conjuring comparisons to other female artists with such strong vocal identities, such as Bjork and Julia Stone. You long to hear more.
The SongBirds save the best for last, closing the show with a blow-away encore. They step away from their mics towards the audience and silent anticipation falls. The suspense is well rewarded with a heart-felt acoustic performance of the gospel hymn Down in the River to Pray. Led beautifully by Canales, she is joined by DeAndrea and Moreno in chorus and with this they leave a lasting impression that warms the heart and mind long after the show ends.
Nicole Russo
When: 19 to 20 Jun
Where: Banquet Room
Bookings: bass.net.au
Phil Scott as Lionel Bart. Cabaret Festival. Artspace. 19 Jun 2015
Everybody remembers Lionel Bart songs but Bart himself has withered in public memory, doubtless because of the way in which his career withered.
Australia's pre-eminent musical satirist, Phil Scott, once again has moved away from mocking politics and stepped adroitly into Cabaret Festival mode, bringing us Bart as a new bio show. Last year, with Blake Bowden, Scott presented a portrait of Mario Lanza. This year he comes solo with this fast and tight little concert tracing the life and music of the once-celebrated English songwriter, Lionel Bart. Bart was the creative name behind Oliver! and countless pop songs of the 50s and 60s. His heyday was filled with knocking up quick and chirpy hits of the day for stars like Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard.
Everyone remembers the big numbers of Oliver! and hits such as From Russia With Love, Living Doll, and Fings Ain't Wot they Used to Be, but it is the boomers who have their nostalgic bells rung when Scott revives quirky old hit-parade triumphs such as The Little White Bull.
Scott co-wrote this show with his director, Terence O'Connell, and they have pushed it to racetrack pace to pack a life story plus a might of music into a mere 70 minutes. It's exhausting, breathless stuff with Scott belting out big numbers in a big voice. He may not have the broadest vocal range in the world, but he has perfect pitch and a particularly agreeable voice. One cannot tire of him. And, of course, there's his glorious, effortless musicianship.
He packed the houses in the Artspace - and rightly so. Adelaide audiences know to expect a quality show when Scott's in town.
The show is set at the end of Bart's career when, from a life of celebrity and opulence, he has slipped to living alone in a gin-soaked flat above a 24-hour laundrette. The sparse Artspace set suggests this with a grand piano on one side and the rest of the flat on the other with a cheap lamp, armchair, and table with bottle of Tanqueray.
Between gulps of stage gin, Scott regales with Cockney gusto. He tells of the Jewish lad's precocious talents, how he changed his name from Lionel Begleiter, how he tried to keep his homosexuality in the closet, how he chummed up with Judy Garland and Noel Coward, how his inability to read or write music hampered his career and how he sold the rights to Oliver! for 350 pounds to the awful Max Bygraves, but how Cameron Mackintosh was kind to him when he later took control of those rights.
It was a rounded picture, an engrossing rags-to-riches-to-rags showbiz story well told, and another terrific night from our fabulous Phil Scott.
Samela Harris
When: 18 to 20 Jun
Where: Artspace
Booings: bass.net.au