Dear Divas - A Love Letter

There are very few positive aspects to a world-wide pandemic, but an unexpected benefit in Perth is the return to the nest of many internationally based artists, including the fabulous Peter Cumins, returning to Perth after 17 years overseas.

Perth was not a kind place for teenaged Peter, keen on Musical Theatre, and gay, he was relentlessly bullied at a number of schools. Sad and lonely, he found solace in musical theatre DVDs and the vocal talents of the iconic pop divas - things that ultimately shaped his career as a vocalist and musical theatre actor.

This performance celebrates those female performers who changed a young man’s life. Looking great, in a hot pink suit, Peter performs amazing pop hits and musical theatre medleys. From Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey through to Olivia Newton-John and Julie Andrews - there is something to appeal to everyone.

Peter is blessed with a superb voice, with great range and gorgeous tone, and while Peter loves to belt in the car to Christina Aguilera’s ‘Stripped’, I am sure that everyone who saw Dear Divas - A Love Letter, would love to belt along to an album of this show - it is a soundtrack that would be a pleasure to hear over and over again.

Simply but slickly and stylishly presented, Peter is backed by vocalist and guest performer Melissa Erpen (another international artist who is currently back in her home town), MD and pianist Dan Griffin and drummer Dan Ablett. Sound is notoriously awkward in this venue, but the sound design by Christian Peterson was faultless.

I’m hoping that Peter’s stay in Perth this time will be much happier, so that he will return more frequently to grace us with his presence and talent. Dear Divas - A Love Letter is a joy, and I hope that it will have future incarnations before Peter flies the Perth nest once more.

Kimberley Shaw