Life really IS a Cabaret.

Willkommen, bienvenu, welcome and other suitable salutations.

Get out your finest campery, kitschery and bling, because it’s time for a little ostentation. The Melbourne Cabaret Festival opens tonight (June 26, 2013) with a fabulous Gala concert – sort of like a tasting platter to whet your appetite…and for the next twelve nights we will access to some of the best cabaret acts in the world, including many home-grown cabaret stars. Cabaret is that wonderful beast which sits between main stage theatre and decadent nightclubs. It can be saucy, camp, retro, blue or just plain alternative, but it’s always entertaining. This year offers some marvellous performers whom we haven’t seen before, plus the return of some old favourites.  There are 150 artists in all and eight are major overseas cabaret stars.

Go through the list carefully before making choices as it really is a feast. You may find yourself seeing two or three shows in the one night. Which is precisely what I’m doing. It might be the fabulous Adam Guettel (Light in the Piazza) in concert at Chapel off Chapel (plus a master class for would be performers…a once in a lifetime chance) or the Fabulous former “Supremes” star Mary Wilson channelling Lena Horne at the Recital Centre, or Belinda Raisin with her great voice starring in Control Freak at The Butterfly Club. If those don’t interest you there’s the outrageous Spanky in “ Dead Bitches” at C off C, Naomi Price as Adele in her great show “Rumour has it” and even  CABARETOKE….live cabaret karaoke at The 86 in Fitzroy for all new or would be cabaret performers. We even have the amazing Trevor Ashley’s new “musical” – Little Orphan Trashley, (with Rhonda Burchmore and Gary Sweet) which is bound to be a hoot.

You can see the full list of shows and venues at the Festival website

http://melbournecabaret.com/

Enjoy!

Coral Drouyn