Unsung

Amelia Ryan and Libby O’Donovan are a powerhouse combination, oozing energy and an abundance of talent, as they effortlessly command the stage with their undeniable chemistry taking the audience on a journey through a musical landscape stretching as far back as the 1960s.

What makes this show extra special is the focus and celebration of Australian women’s contributions to music. Historically, women have been overlooked and underestimated, and the music industry was no different. Artists such as Little Patti, Lynne Randell, Judy Stone, Marcie Jones and Wendy Saddington, to name a few, had an uphill battle to succeed in a climate that was hell bent on keeping women in the kitchen.

Ryan and O’Donovan poked fun at the absurdity of a male-dominated environment, by sharing a cross-section of advertisements from earlier times. Cutouts from magazines showed ads for Ford pills, dietary supplements and my personal favourite, Lux soap, which coined the phrase ‘Don’t forget to keep your mimsy clean’. All were met with gasps and raucous laughter by an invested audience.

Hits such as ‘Ciao Baby’ and ‘He’s My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy’ warmed the crowd. Backed by a gifted band of four, Ryan and O’Donovan fed off the energy in the room, delivering hilarious anecdotes, and a myriad of lost hits that paid homage to Australian women across five decades.

Highlights were aplenty, but O’Donovan’s rendition of Renee Geyer’s standard ‘It’s a Man’s World’ was nothing short of sublime. A medley of hits by Olivia Newton-John, Colleen Hewett and Helen Reddy kept the spotlight shining brightly on what was an exhilarating celebration of Australia’s female musical pioneers. Bravo!

Kerry Cooper

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