An avid DC comics fan (especially of character Harley Quinn) and dressed in my favourite ‘casual Harley’ outfit, I was very excited to see this show during Adelaide Fringe. I particularly looked forward to how each performer portrayed / paid tribute to the villains within the show.

This show had all the ‘usual suspects’ that come to mind when DC villains are mentioned, plus a few surprising inclusions. All hosted by the clown prince of Gotham city himself – The Joker. He was a host of unhinged perfection, however I would have liked to see more from him. His comedy and wit were well timed, but he never had his own segment to shine and I think that was a shame. There were hints during the evening where I felt the Joker’s character was slipping – though I’m unsure if this was due to intense comments / banter from the audience or due to the tasks at hand. The show contained performances of burlesque and singing, with a bit a stage fighting included. The burlesque acts were definitely the strengths of the show, and gained the most applause and cheering from the audience.

My personal highlights were performances by Harley Quinn – who performed an energetic and gutsy burlesque number and Poison Ivy- who included Alice Cooper’s hit “Poison” in a well themed take on a classic raunchy burlesque performance. With Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy being BFF’s in the comic world, I’m sure you can imagine their chemistry when they’re both sharing the same stage! Ms Freeze was a welcome inclusion on the program and performed an erotic water based act to Madonna’s hit “Frozen”, which raised the temperature of the audience.

There were elements / segments of this show that seemed less polished than others, but overall it was a fantastic show. The burlesque acts left me feeling hot under my little Harley Quinn collar, and our night in Gotham City was one of excitement and surprise.

It’s a shame this show had a very limited run during Adelaide Fringe. The show was presented by ‘The JustAss League’ so if you ever come across one of their shows, then do book a ticket because you’re in for an entertaining and exciting night out!

I have to admit that I narrowly missed watching Paul Dabek’s show while I was in Melbourne, and just about every magician I encountered said that it was truly a shame that I missed his show. Imagine my delight when I was able to catch his show “Encore” in Adelaide! I had high hopes for this show, and Dabek not only met my expectations but surpassed them so much in unforgettable ways.

Extremely well presented, spoken and with very polished material Dabek dazzled the audience with an hour of such hilarity and manic magic that he must be a time lord as I feel like we were only in that tent for 20 minutes. Every single piece of magic performed was taken to the ‘next level’ with his trademark talent, humour and pizzazz. Dabek was consistently playful with the audience, tossing out quick witted remarks one moment and rewarding the audience with cheese the next. My favourite moments of the show were when Dabek introduced us to one of his special friends, his comedy routines with all kinds of objects, and his finale which was stirring and poetic.

This show was the epitome of streamlined magic and humour. It was as much a comedy show as a magic show, and the two were combined with panache. Definitely a show for adults, and a show for those who love comedy or who perhaps enjoy comedy over magic (though there were equal amounts of each). “Encore” is the funniest magic show I have seen in a long time – I often laughed until my sides hurt and left the tent with a slight hunch due to so much laughter!

Dabek’s show run has now ended in Adelaide, however if you get the chance to see his show then do not delay and ensure you get a ticket!

Given that I’m a big fan of magic, I couldn’t resist to see my fave Adelaide magic duo, Auslusion (Jace Wonders and Scott Stunz), present their fringe show “Alternative Reality”. Hosted within the beautiful Ayers House, which matched the magicians’ 1920’s personas, the show began with an intriguing animation which piqued the curiosity of many of the audience members. After the animation had finished, Mr Jace Wonders and Mr Scott Stunz then made their grand entrance on stage to the delight of the audience.

This show was quite different to the Auslusion show I attended in Melbourne last year, which was more of a family based show with classic magic. This show highlighted the magic of the mind and the overall concepts of what is reality / what is illusion?! Is this the real life or is this just fantasy (as the classic goes)?! “Alternative Reality” is a show that features many mysteries, but also demonstrates some of the curiosities of the human mind. Wonders and Stunz were also keen to impress the audience with their mind manipulation and prediction skills, and impress they did in spades! Throughout the shows I heard gasps and hushed whispers of “no way!!” along with plenty of stunned facial expressions. Wonders and Stunz performed some truly unbelieveable feats! As with all Auslusion shows, there is plenty of audience participation with Wonders and Stunz taking very good care of their helpers from the audience.

I thoroughly enjoyed this show as during certain points in the show, Wonders and Stunz would refer back to the title of their show. They did a fantastic job of taking their audience to another reality. Their amazing magic coupled with the setting and animation made me forget where I was, and that is one of the beauties of great magic shows – to immerse yourself and leave your usual world and life behind. Finishing on a high to raptuous applause, Auslusion’s finale simply made my jaw drop – I’ll be losing sleep over that one for sure!

VERDICT: Definitely a magic show to put on your list this fringe. Enjoyable, entertaining and another solid offering of fantastic magic from Auslusion. This show is best suited to older teens to adults.

Tickets: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/auslusion-alternative-reality-af2018

 In late February, I was lucky enough to travel to Adelaide for a weekend and enjoy the second largest fringe festival in the world – the Adelaide Fringe Festival! Adelaide itself is well set up for such an event: there are a multitude of venues spanning the city hosting shows, as well as two large garden spaces – The Garden of Unearthly Delights and Gluttony. Each garden area had the setup / feeling of a music festival, but instead of music there were various tents all set up for fringe shows. For those who’ve never been to a fringe festival, fringe itself spans many genres of entertainment: music, comedy, cabaret, magic, circus, vaudeville and variety shows and a hearty offering of shows for families / children. The spaces came alive at night with plenty of bars and snacks, rides, DJs and many interesting characters and performers roaming the grounds. The Garden of Unearthly Delights even had an old school ‘Freak Show’ tent which I thought was super cool. It was a feast for my senses, and I could hardly believe it had taken me 5 years to finally organise a trip (it was by far not the cheapest weekend away but one of the most fun). Across the weekend away, I saw 7 shows with one of my dearest friends who lives in Adelaide, went to the zoo, went to Rundle Mall and also visited the German town in the Adelaide hills called ‘Hanhdorf’.

 A bonus treat for me is that this year the Adelaide Fringe’s logo is a balloon dog! Given my intense appreciation for balloon animals, I could not resist attending this year (and yes, possibly taking as many photos as possible of any balloon dog logos I could find)!

 I will, of course, be writing about each show that I saw. If you happen to live in Adelaide or are considering visiting the Fringe festival I can heartily recommend it! The city really comes alive at this time of the year, and the weather is generally great. The festival is mind blowingly large and with a rumoured thousand shows on per day, I’m sure there is something on to suit everyone’s taste.

A lovely friend and I accepted VIP tickets to a new show “Lush Life: An excavation of the Queer history of jazz” (referenced here as “Lush Life”) appearing at a brand new venue – The Bordello Theatre. This review will be in two parts – one part on the theatre and the next part on the show – as there is just so much to write about!

The newest venue in town: The Bordello Theatre

Curious name for a theatre, I hear you remark and well yes it is because this new theatre is located in the attic of the ‘Top of the Town’ brothel! Before you ask, we waited downstairs until a small group of audience members had assembled and then we were chaperoned into the theatre. There was no ‘straying off the path’ despite the exciting location, however I’m sure that was for the best. Up a few flights of stairs we arrived at a curious entrance and then suddenly we were inside the theatre. We were all warmly greeted and then had a chance to take a quick look around before finding a seat. The theatre itself is in tones of red, black and metallic hues giving it a premium and luxurious feel. The feature piece of The Bordello Theatre is unquestionably the large lipstick red ‘chesterfield lounge’ panels serving as the stage backdrop. The panels had such a lush texture to them, I was ever so tempted to touch the panels after the show (I did however exert some restraint!). As it was VIP opening night, we also had gift bags on our seats which contained some clever pieces of marketing as well as a small bottle of water – appreciated given the hot weather that day. I marvelled at how a theatre could be established in such an unassuming and hidden location, while I waited for the show to begin. They say you are always welcome at the ‘Top of the Town’ and this extends to The Bordello Theatre.

The show: “Lush Life: An excavation of the Queer history of jazz”
performed by James Halloran

In “Lush Life”, Melbourne musician and cabaret artist James Halloran took the audience on a journey which explored a handful of queer pioneers of Jazz across history and contemporary music. I’ll admit that I do not experience Jazz as regularly as other forms and styles of entertainment so I feel much less knowledgeable about the greats of Jazz and Jazz history. I needn’t have worried about that as, in tune with the needs and  demographic of his audience, James Halloran’s show was a jaunt back in time to the places and faces you may not have heard about in the history books. The artists that were talented during their time but not paid their dues by peers or society. It was a show as much about storytelling as it was about music and singing and the storytelling enhanced the audience’s enjoyment of the show. Accompanied by a guitarist on stage, James Halloran appeared in a demure outfit with a velvety headpiece and began to sing in sultry tones much to the delight of the audience. James has soft eyes, a soulful voice and sung each song with care but ensured that each emphatic word or note was in the right place.

Particular show highlights for me were the songs “My Funny Valentine” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” by lyricist Lorenz Hart (one half of the duo Rodgers and Hart) and James’ stories about the life and adventures of Sir Noel Coward (among others, such as Billy Strayhorn). The descriptions of the types and times of all the characters James Halloran hones in on during his show creates a rich tapestry for the audience to admire and absorb. It is clear that James admires and respects the performers he explores in “Lush Life” as each song is treated tenderly with care. Such is the power of the songs and James’ singing that it was the type of music I imagined myself listening to from a gramaphone while on a chaise lounge with a drink in hand- a lush evening of music indeed! “Lush Life” is full of songs with strong emotions attached – lust, grief, heartbreak – yet the show remained uplifting and I was grateful for the stories and messages within. In a word, Lush Life was bliss. My friend and I left the theatre feeling very spoilt and very relaxed, like we had temporarily left the hustle and bustle of the city for an oasis of Jazz.

 VERDICT: If you like Jazz / enjoy Jazz music styles then I’m sure you’ll enjoy this show. If you’re new to Jazz (like me!) or you’re not sure what to expect then take the chance and come along to “Lush Life”. At the end of the night you’ll have learned so much and enjoyed some beautiful songs along the way.

Tickets / more information: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=340021

Note: My friend and I attended this event as guests of Speakeasy HQ / The Bordello Theatre.

 Recently I was lucky enough to attend opening night of Lawson Reeves’ magic show called “Genuinely Impossible”. Lawson Reeves is a media identity (and some of you may know him as a past Big Brother housemate), however I’ve never seen him present a solo magic show so I was keen to attend and see what impossible scenarios Lawson could conjure!

Lawson’s show is at The Butterfly Club – a fascinating and wonderfully well known cabaret club and bar down an alley in the city of Melbourne. I’ve been blessed to visit The Butterfly Club many times, but for those who haven’t I heartily recommend a visit. Aside from the very welcoming box office and bar staff, there are all manner of curios and antiques lining the walls and bookcases within the club – it’s like a feast for the eyes before you even reach showtime! Legend has it that many past performers have donated items to be displayed on shelves, so there is plenty to marvel at pre (and post) show.

 The audience was excitedly taking their seats, and the group of people next to me were especially eager to see the show. I find this excitement and enthusiasm always adds to the show atmosphere. With impeccable comedic timing, Lawson made a surprising entrance on stage and commenced the show with some comedy magic which the audience enjoyed. Lawson mentioned early in the show that his show isn’t a traditional magic show, and he is right – you’ll find no rabbits in top hats, stuffy tuxedos or cliche assistants here. Instead, Lawson uses well timed wit, some choice props and his (often cheeky) humour to enhance his modern takes on magic. You may be wondering what kinds of magic to expect in Lawson’s show….without giving too much away, Lawson does perform some fantastically entertaining card and rope magic, along with some predictions and finale which truly has to be seen to be believed! Vanish any thoughts you may have about such magic, as Lawson’s magic is so surprising that you just do not know what to expect while watching his show and I find that thrilling. Throughout the show, the audience had no idea what was going to happen next, which lead to many gasps of surprise and much applause!

An aspect I thoroughly enjoyed about this show is that it is very light hearted. Lawson clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously and that worked so well during his show – it brought extra laughs and enjoyment to the audience, it made the audience relax a little more and enhanced the entire show for everyone. I was impressed that all this was achieved without compromising or cheapening the magic, which remained exceptional. ‘Genuinely Impossible’ is a show where the comedy shines as much as the magic.

 Genuinely Impossible and Genuinely Entertaining, Lawson’s show had the audience laughing and clapping throughout as well as a very mystifying finale. What more could one want from a magic show? I enjoyed myself so much that in what seemed like no time the show was already over, leaving myself (and many other audience members I’m sure) wanting to see more.

  

VERDICT: I really can’t recommend this show enough, ‘Genuinely Impossible’ truly has something for everyone (though perhaps not suited to children!). Those who crave comedy with their magic will be satisfied and those who seek magic with modern twists will be surprised and delighted by ‘Genuinely Impossible’ – a show which lives up to its name.

DETAILS: The show is on at 8:30pm at The Butterfly Club and runs until Sunday, January 14th. Tickets and more information can be found at:
https://thebutterflyclub.com/show/genuinely-impossible

Hello everyone, greetings from 2018 and I hope you have all been well! I hope the last few months of 2017 were pleasant for you all and that 2018 has commenced with happiness for each of you. You’ve probably been wondering where I’ve been for the past few months….it is disappointing that I haven’t had a chance to write as regularly as I’d have liked to. In October I had a persistent sickness and had to take time off work, so I was housebound for a couple of weeks. November was my ‘work events’ month (when I generally don’t make very many blog posts) and December brought its usual festive season craziness with some extra social times with friends thrown in. I’ve also been called upon to devote some time to a friend’s project so despite being quiet on the blog, things have certainly been a little hectic lately.

What’s ahead?
I’ve recently seen a Shakespearean show at the The Pop Up Globe that is currently in Melbourne  – I’ll write about that soon, however even if you’re not usually a Shakespeare fan the shows there are fantastic so I do not hesitate to recommend a visit. For an even more thrilling experience, book a ‘groundling’ ticket where you do not get a seat but get to be directly in front of the stage and the action the entire time! You do end up standing for 3 hours, but my friends and I had the best time that night. The actors and show storyline were fantastic.

I’ve booked to see a magic show at The Butterfly Club in January called ‘Genuinely Impossible’ by magician Lawson Reeves, which I am excited to see. I’m thrilled to announce that in February I’ll be visiting Adelaide for a weekend to partake in their Fringe Festival. It will be my first time at Adelaide Fringe and I’m very excited to share lots of show reviews with you all upon my return. I plan to see many magic shows (and a couple of burlesque or variety shows) within that weekend towards the end of February.

Whatever this fresh year brings for you, I hope it brings you happiness, new opportunities and fun adventures. I’m looking forward to seeing some more fantastic live shows this year and writing about them for you.

As always, thanks for reading!

 

 Cabaret Slumber Party! is performed and hosted by Andrew Iles, a man with an impressive vocal ability and some sweet dance moves. Held in the downstairs room of The Butterfly Club, this show is the slumber party your parents would prefer that you perhaps not attend -there are risque lyrics and there is partial nudity BUT like all slumber parties, there is also a lot of fun! One aspect I particularly enjoyed is that audience members are allowed to wear onesies or pyjamas – yes, you read that right, I was truly living the dream when I rocked up to the show at the suitably late timeslot of 10pm wearing a dragon onesie with a cocktail in hand!

Andrew Iles take his audience on a journey through iconic songs from popular movies of his youth (including some Disney favourites) while telling humorous anecdotes from his life and growing up. I was delighted that some of the songs Andrew Iles parodied were from the Backstreet Boys, and from the movies ‘Grease’ and ‘Xanadu’.  I especially enjoyed a song where Andrew replaced the lyrics with some Melbourne specific ones. Many times during his show Andrew was moving and even leaping around the stage energetically, which was entertaining – you can’t help but grin when you see such exuberance! A cluster of audience members in animal onesies (myself included) provided some backing / chorus noises during some of his songs which made me so happy. This show is much more than one (talented!) pyjama clad man singing to his audience – there are moments of audience participation and a time where everyone gets to reveal their celebrity crushes. This made me smile as it reminded me of the classic slumber party game ‘truth or dare’ – luckily for the audience, Andrew Iles did not request any dares from us that evening.

 VERDICT: I wish all shows could be like this – there’s something better about a show that allows you to watch in the comfort of a onesie  / pair of pyjamas. It’s truly like the best of both worlds – home comforts in front of a live show. Growing up may be hard and have its pains, but all that is forgotten during the enjoyable nostalgic romp of Cabaret Slumber Party! Sneak out of the house and come along to the show (but don’t tell your parents!)

 *Disclaimer: I attended as a guest of the performer.

Tickets: https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/cabaret-slumber-party/

More Information: https://www.facebook.com/andrewilesofficial/

 Idris Stanton is the self proclaimed Last King of Vaudeville – and after watching his show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival I believe it! Tucked away in the “Underground” theatre of the North Melbourne arts house with the audience clustered around cabaret tables, Idris presented his show with much style and flair. Dressed in an ensemble that perhaps indicated that he had been to many places or had been involved in many kinds of performances, Idris appeared on stage with a chainsaw – much to a mixture of delight / horror / surprise of audience members! I will leave you to discover for yourself exactly what happens with the chainsaw, however it was one hell of a show opener. Very attention grabbing and had many audience members (including myself) on the edge of our seats. Nothing like some danger to shake the audience out of the everyday and get their hearts pounding!

 Idris went on to describe vaudeville as ‘easily digestible snippets of entertainment’ and that’s exactly what his show was (not forgetting some dangerous, hilarious and exciting elements of his show of course!). Idris’ show was well structured and included items I’d come to expect from vaudeville shows – juggling, comedy and even a bit of magic were all included – however Idris has this flair that I find hard to describe. He is very much the rockstar of vaudeville, and including a segment of air guitar during his show proved that to me. I very much enjoyed his comedic segments, which were a mix of stories and personal observations (especially about human nature and technology) as well as his use of drama / dramatic fades and hilariously elastic facial expressions. Idris reached out to his audience, and used audience reactions and participation to create some especially hilarious scenes on stage. I can only describe the finale as gripping but it was a fantastic finale indeed – I simply do not know how he does it! Idris Stanton is a rockstar of many, many talents.

 Idris Stanton’s show really is a glorious mash up of physical comedy, echoes of rock concerts and vaudeville stunts. I loved every minute, and I can’t wait to see another solo show from him. They always say ‘leave the audience wanting more’ and Idris certainly did that.

 VERDICT: Thoroughly entertaining, wish I could have seen it twice or at least brought friends along! If you hear the name Idris Stanton, please do make an effort to see his show – I’m sure you’ll come away entertained and impressed. All hail the Last King of Vaudeville!

Tickets: https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/last-king-of-vaudeville/

More information: https://www.facebook.com/idrisstantoncomedy/

 

I was very excited to attend the premiere show of a new monthly magic show in Melbourne called ‘Sleight Night’. Before I get into the details of the show, I feel that the brand new venue the show was in – The Laneway Theatre – warrants its own mini review so I guess this review is in two parts! Strap yourselves in for a dual review.

The Laneway Theatre

 

 The Laneway Theatre is tucked down a dark alley in the inner Northern suburbs  of Melbourne. Upon purchasing tickets to a show in the theatre, you’re provided with full details of how to find the mysterious place of magic. There’s a lack of formal signs showing the way, however I liked that aspect as it rewards the curious (and perhaps brave!) Indeed as my friend and I made our way to the theatre we found a small group of people milling about the nearest corner, unsure of how to find it. The entrance to the theatre itself must be experienced first hand, so I won’t go into full details here!

 The Laneway Theatre is the creation of well known Melbourne master magician Tim Ellis, who was also appearing in the show that night. Tim is ever the gracious host and I was surprised to find that I could touch many of the artefacts, props and curious dotted within the rooms and walls of the theatre (oh yes, there’s more than one room to explore for attendees!) The theatre does include things I’d expect – a small snack table, tiered seating, and a well designed table for close up magic (which is the specialty of the theatre) – however it is so much more than that. The seats themselves are very roomy and plush (no more sitting on fold up chairs like in so many theatres around town!) and the setting is magical in itself – the room was full of excitement, anticipation and mystery well before the show began.

The Show – Sleight Night

  Sleight Night is to be one of many (I hope!) regular shows within The Laneway Theatre and occurs on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Hosted by ‘Honest Con Man’ Nicholas J Johnson, the show features 4 performers of close up magic. I felt so lucky that on the evening I attended the show, the lineup included many of my favourites!

The theatre felt so intimate and exclusive that I felt that the audience was brought a little closer to each performer. It felt like each performer could see the audience well, so you didn’t want to let the magicians catch you looking away from the action. I also felt that as the show had a limited lineup of performers that each brought their ‘A’ game and best material for the evening. Being an evening of close up magic, there was plenty of card magic but each performer brought along their own special flair to their performances, so if you’re thinking this show was all about cards, then think again!

 The lineup for this show changes each month but on the evening I attended, the audience witnessed some truly astounding and mind blowing magic from magicians Nick Kay, Nicola Marie – Magicianess, Nigel Xu and theatre creator Tim Ellis. Each performer presented pieces of magic that stood out from the rest (often resulting in gasps from the audience), however I will mention some personal highlights here. There’s nothing quite like Nick Kay and the magic he can create with the humble iPad. Quick witted and fast talking, Nick’s iPad routine never fails to make me smile and fill my mind with wonder. Nicola Marie is a young magician but presents magic like nothing I’ve seen from her older peers. What she can do with a packet of gum will have you scratching your head and giving each gum packet you see in the future with a look of suspicion! Nigel Xu transported us all to China and created non stop laughs during his act, and Tim Ellis involved many audience members in a thoroughly entertaining card prediction.

 The Laneway Theatre is truly an ‘oasis of magic’ in a fast paced, modern world. I’ve never felt so truly welcomed by so many within a magic theatre so it’s a real credit to Tim Ellis that he has created a theatre in order to share more magic with the citizens of Melbourne. With regular shows held here, it ensures that there will always be regular magic shows held in Melbourne for years to come.

 VERDICT: for a truly unique magic experience, do come to The Laneway Theatre! The show and theatre itself are best enjoyed with friends so do come along in a group and make a fun evening out of it.

For more information, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/TheLanewayTheatre/