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Cabaret Fringe Weimar Room Mixed sessions Week two has now passed, and with one more to go the Weimer Room is now really beginning to heat up with their Cabaret Fringe, a series of shows that offer both great variety and value for money. Here are just some of the acts which made the whole of the Cabaret Fringe such a mixed bag and quite an experience: 'Tango On The Edge' is a well paced and fun show that sees three classily attired couples take to the Weimer Room's floor space and dance up a storm. Played out in a late night club setting, the obviously well skilled and experienced troupe from Southern Cross Tango were able to demonstrate much of the sultry drama that's associated with the craft as they glide effortlessly across the floor. There's a cabaret show to be put on, the trouble is one by one all the principle female performers are being arrested for the murders of their cheating, abusive husbands/boyfriends. Now, with the help of voluptuous Mama Marmalade, the women are now encouraged to use their more natural talents to save them from the gallows. Using a good smattering of well placed staple show tunes and tantalising leggy moves to illustrate their devious plotting, 'Chix-R-Go!' is a tease filled romp that begins on the main stage and finds itself anywhere it likes. Texettes Cabsav are a offbeat country and western act that is billed as "two divas and one devo", and the premise is both simple and effective. No matter how smoothly their rehearsals might have gone, come show time there's a lot of ego and artistic differences which ensures interruptions and disputes galore. Thankfully, not enough to detract the focus from what really are some well structured songs. Another c&w act with a difference is The Dolls, here you have three big hatted gals with voices to match. Backed by a fantastic three piece band, one thing that really struck me about The Dolls was their beautiful use of harmonies and humour. Combining a few originals - which effortlessly sit amongst a great selection of classic heartbreakers - and a lot of between song girly talk, they have a grande 'ol boot-scooting time and a lot of fun too. 'Ms Josephine's Kabaret Misdemeanours' takes us on a bawdy journey that ties her, and her long lost sister's life to Napoleon, pirate kidnappings and a whole host of twisted misadventures and fantasies. Joined by Enio Pozzebon on piano, and aided by her oppressively treated maid, Monica, Ms Josephine tells her story via belting out mean tunes and a narrative which is laden with innuendo. Josephine Fisher truly does have a fantastic voice as well as a lot of character smarts to make this quick paced production that's full of plenty of unexpected diversions really come alive. Victorian duo 'The Wizard And Oz' are one of those acts that will immediately hit you with their eclectic musicality that will both blow your socks off, as well as make you sit back and listen. Playing everything from contemporary standards to Spanish arpeggios to country blues to Pachebel's Canon in D major, this extremely accomplished piano and guitar act is both smooth and blistering and just perfect for the late night spot allocated to them. An undoubted winner, my pick for the whole Weimer Room Cabaret Fringe Festival has to be 'Eva', a musical tribute to the late jazz/folk performer Eva Cassidy, who died aged 33 from cancer in 1996. Those familiar with Cassidy, hailed as one of the finest unspoilt voices ever, would have to agree that Adelaide's own Kate Fuller had to fill a pretty tall order when taking on this part. Needless to say, together with the brilliant Bruce Hancock Trio (who need no introduction) accompanying, Fuller beautifully succeeds in her heartfelt homage as she delivers a sincere narration and a range of Cassidy's best known renditions including: Fields Of Gold, Cheek to Cheek, What A Wonderful World and the sombrely stirring, Somewhere Over The Rainbow. This is one superb performance that deserves to go national and beyond.  |
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