The Babushka Book Club

Presented by Little Match Productions, The Babushka Book Club is a fabulously funny cabaret combination of laughter and music, developed by its wickedly witty leading ladies – Alicia Cush, Judy Hainsworth and Laura Coutts – alongside director Bridget Boyle and Penny Challen, with piano and musical arrangements by Luke Volker (and Alicia Cush). This talented threesome have been performing on Brisbane’s cabaret and music scene for many years and their stage experience shows in their command of an audience. With this show they have come up with a winning formula using the familiar book club tropes to trigger many laugh-out-loud moments. This book club takes an irreverent look at romance, self-help, feminism, friendship, pinot grigio and kombucha with comedy and cabaret. The genius in the show is its simplicity. The dialogue from Alicia, Judy and Laura – playing book club versions of themselves – is very funny banter with the trio’s quips connecting a series of brilliant song mash-ups and unique musical interpretations that are the show’s strength. While you could paint the style as a la Postmodern Jukebox, that would be to sell it short… it’s more astute – the performers have fused together different book and song genres in a way that is pleasantly unexpected, intellectually satisfying and highly entertaining. Besides, any show that features piano accordion seriously gets my thumbs up!

The book club discussion starts by addressing the elephant in the room – has everyone actually read Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, or have we just devoured the film and TV adaptations? The inevitable discussion of the dark hero Mr Darcy culminates in a performance of Billie Eilish’s ‘The Bad Guy’ with Judy Hainsworth leading a sweet three-part harmony. Self-help books get a good going over to the tune of Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’. The ‘Twilight’ saga is dealt with as Laura Coutts riffs on the vampire theme and Luke Volker’s pretty piano rendition of the film’s theme by Carter Burwell cleverly morphs into Blondie’s ‘One Way or Another’ with hints of ‘Every Breath You Take’ by the Police. While the three singers also play instruments, it’s Luke’s lush piano that holds the club’s musical pace steady.

The three performers show off more of their stunning vocal range as they become the Bronte Sisters in ‘Sisters are Doing it for Themselves’ and travel to a show-stopping performance by Alicia Cush who has the operatic range to tackle Kate Bush’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ head on. But there’s more to come as the trio despatch ‘The Hunger Games’ series as an inspired overhaul of Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ (I told you the song choices were unexpected). And there’s a fitting tribute to all the women writers who had to publish under male pseudonyms with ‘That’s Not My Name’ by The Ting Tings. Another brilliant choice!

Director Bridget Boyle (from last year’s fabulous Leotard) has kept the book club to just over an hour with the right pace and audience participation to satisfy a crowd eager for entertainment. And I’m glad the tone stayed smart funny and not too bawdy, even though this format would please a hen’s night just as much as an office party. After my friend and I walked to the Judith Wright Centre in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley braving a torrential downpour, we couldn’t have been more richly rewarded if the Babushkas had greeted us personally with a glass of chilled chardonnay! The crowd was mostly women, with some book clubs laughing at the literary in-jokes, but my bet is that men will definitely enjoy this show too, especially for the vibrant selection of songs, superb singing and witty banter.  

Designer Penny Challen and Lighting Designer Geoff Squires have achieved just the right mix of glitz and glamour with elegant costumes and a simple stage set that will suit town halls just as well as little theatres – perfect for the troupe’s upcoming tour of Queensland. They also promise a free online book club with special guests every month, via Facebook.

Beth Keehn

Find out more: https://www.littlematchproductions.com/the-babushka-book-club