Cat Commander is: Falling

A cabaret of original songs and storytelling

Cat Commander is: Falling. Falling in love. Falling out of love. Falling flat on her face. In her 50 minute show, playing at The Butterfly Club from September 29 to October  2 as part of the Melbourne Fringe,Cat chronicles the moments that have brought her to her knees.

Cat told Stage Whispers, “The show Cat Commander is: Falling is centered around a number of songs that I wrote about love, loss, heartbreak and hope. The songs look at intimate relationships with brutal honesty, and are introduced by a collection characters that I play over the course of the show. My background is in both performing (I studied at the VCA) and writing (I have a BA in English, Womens Studies and German from The University of Western Australia) and the show combines my talents for character comedy and poetic lyricism with my strong backround in music. I started playing the piano at 5 and the violin at 6 then the saxophone at age 10. I am a self taught guitarist and began composing for contemporary artist Gabrielle De Vietri for her installation at ACCA in 2008, branching out into writing my own lyrics in 2010.  The show, while comedic in parts, has serious moments too, where I am forced to come to terms with the fall out from sexual relationships, my own and others around me.

“The songs are all originals, and the experiences deeply personal and specific to me, but the themes are universal and everyone will be able to relate in some way to these stories- the excitement of new love, the promises of young love, the disappointments of lost love, and those relationships that aren't quite love, but still manage to affect us for life.

“I've been working with director Karlis Zaid (The Beautiful Losers) whose wealth of knowledge of cabaret and performance has been invaluable in the process of rehearsing the show.  The piece slips seamlessly from moment to moment, character to character turning quickly from moments to poignancy to moments of hilarity.

“The Butterfly Club is the perfect space for this show, it creates an intimate relationship between performer and audience that supports the confessional quality of the material. Secrets, storytelling and sharing await in front of the red velvet curtains. You will leave pondering the complexity of what it is to fall in or out of love.”

Cat is a Perth born artist who trained at the VCA and is using her musical and songwriting talents to explore intimate relationships through song.

Each song is paired with a monologue which gives a voice to the characters that are featured in the songs. Cat will play her original compositions on acoustic guitar to underscore the stories that she sings.

The confessional nature of the show is suited to the intimate space of the Butterfly Club, located in South Melbourne.

"When we let go, we fall at a frightening pace, not knowing when next we'll have something to hold on to someone to hold on to us." - Original Song by Cat Commander.

The Butterfly Club, 204 Bank St, South Melbourne

29 Sept - 2 Oct

Bookings: melbournefringe.com.au or (03) 9660 9666

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