Cabaret Festival. Her Majesty’s Theatre. 13 Jun 2025

 

I have a marble sculpture of an egret. So, I can’t say, “non, je ne egret, rien.” (No, I regret nothing). Neither can Edith Piaf. She had regrets. But not in the show Divas. Piaf without regrets is unusual but so is this show. It’s a long show and by the end it was still difficult to know what the show is.

 

Piaf is one of ten great divas featured in Bernadette Robinson’s odd show in this odd Cabaret Festival. The show is certainly not cabaret but neither is most of the Cabaret Festival. Neither is Divas a concert. It’s a peculiar show in which Robinson doesn’t impersonate but sort of suggests the great voices of ten sublime entertainers and links this with narrative of their own words. We’re used to parody and camp but there is none here. Nor is the show funny. Robinson is attempting to avoid portraying the oft-recalled suffering of these women in favour of a positive interpretation of their joy and power in performance. What a shame.

 

There’s a backdrop of ten bad faux Warholesque portraits of the divas which is confusing. There’s a forest of microphone stands on stage and when Robinson sings her intonation is faultless but when speaking she struggles to be heard. Robinson is gamine, has raddled hair and is very oddly dressed with a feature panty line. After an awful opening number in which I thought she was singing Cher but it was really Kate Bush she eventually settled down. Her Shirley Bassey and Piaf lack the requisite killer aggression. Piaf was born in the gutter and you need to hear that in her voice. Karen Carpenter is herein underwhelming, Dolly Parton is interesting and Miley Cyrus was dreadful. Amy Winehouse was closer to to the mark. Robinson’s Barbra Streisand underwhelms although her version of I’m The Greatest Star was cute. Judy Garland was a complete miss but the evening is saved by a bravura, exquisitely sung and inexplicably cheery Maria Callas.

 

It’s a strange night with a very laid-back performer. She is only occasionally worthy of her great material. The show needs an orchestra and although the four piece band tried its best it would’ve better suited backing singers at a cabaret at the Finsbury Hotel in the 60s.

 

The mainly elderly audience (bless ‘em) eventually seemed to enjoy the show but I have regrets.

 

Peter Goers

 

When: 13 Jun

Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre

Bookings: Closed