Adore Handel’s Little Black Book
Adore Handel’s Little Black Book is a one performer show that transports us back to 18th Century Europe and the sexual exploits of Adore Handel (alias Luke Bell), some successful, some not, all delivered with tongue in cheek and song.
Adore Handel is a real housewife of the 18th century telling tales of rubbing shoulders with Mozart, Bach and Vivaldi and is a time travelling pansexual fashionista with a quick wit and a baritone voice to die for!
Resplendent in 18th Century court wig, gold and red sequinned court clothes and the white face makeup made popular in this period, Adore introduces us to her not so little black book in which she has documented the loves of her life.
Through Adore and her book, we are introduced to Edward, a trombonist and a rogue, Thomas, an accountant with BDSM leanings, Peter, her accompanist who is helping Adore publish her black books and George her current love who has just left her.
The show is packed with music ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan (‘I’ve Got a Little List’), ‘Padam’, ‘Jolene’, ‘You Give Love a bad Name’, ‘I’m Going Down to Pussy Town’, ‘The Masochism Tango’, ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and more!
Adore has a voice that is equally at home in the opera repertoire as it is in popular music. Her baritone range features a crystal-clear head voice and a growly bass voice used for effect. Her facial expressions alone are worth the price of admission!
A solo show for 60 minutes is no mean feat, especially when you are so close to your audience. Adore is a powerhouse with a well written script and a larger-than-life persona and works the audience right from the first number.
In a Fringe with so many events, it’s the smaller productions that often get forgotten. Hopefully word will spread as this show deserves bigger audiences.
Adore Handel’s Little Black Book is a pot pourri of scandal, fun, titillation, and humour all wrapped in 18th Century glitz and glam! Go and see it!
Barry Hill OAM
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