Perth is so often dismissed as being a boring little town, with nothing going for it.
But did you know, we have an exciting, thriving cabaret scene not so quietly bubbling beneath the surface?
We were recently invited to Perth Cabaret Collective’s 10 year anniversary gala… and what a night it was!
The nine piece band delivered a symphony of big band tunes with singers Victoria Newton, Mark Turner, Mia Matthiessen and Jessie Gordon providing silky smooth and powerful renditions of some of the classics. I’d been wanting to catch Mark Turner in action for awhile, and I wasn’t disappointed. That said, I can’t pick a favourite vocalist, they all brought their own unique spin to their craft.
What’s a cabaret without some dancers? Burlesque queens Lucy Lovegun and Veruca Sour stole the show with their delightful mix of quirky comedy and saucy moves. Every time I saw them on stage, I couldn’t help but feel like they were the burslesque incarnations of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. Ronnie Rum Punch and Sugar du Joure also delivered powerhouse performances – Ronnie oozed old world class and charm in her opening act and I was mesmerised by Sugar’s impressive fan work.
Last but certainly not least, Cougar Morrison owned that stage. The perfectly coiffed blonde is a stunner and you can’t NOT watch her when she’s performing. She made my head spin with her impressive, incredibly fast paced Italian number.
One thing that stood out to me during the gala was how much LOVE there was onstage. Everyone LOVED what they were doing. The mutual respect between performers is evident as dancers frolicked among the musicians and shouted them out during their sets.
Cougar’s rendition (and reworking) of Eartha Kitt’s Mambo de Paree was the perfect example of this synergy. Musicians, burlesque dancers and drag queen collaborated to present a piece that was a delicious blend of kooky comedy, musicality and showy dance moves. This was my favourite performance. I wish I had filmed the whole thing!
This is why Perth Cabaret Collective has stood the test of time. This shared love of cabaret that unites members and allows them to fully bask in creative freedom. How lucky are we, to be able to experience this symbiosis.
Congratulations on your milestone anniversary, Perth Cabaret Collective. Here’s to ten years and more!