Wow! What an amazing Cabaret Festival has been delivered this year. Under the fantastic and highly capable direction of Kate Ceberano, the people of Adelaide were gifted an incredible line up of artists from around the world. From 7-22 June, the nights came alive with variety and fervor.
I went along to seven shows and one Backstage Club – The Leading Ladies of Cabaret, and loved every minute of the wildly talented performances. What an awesome showcase of respect for an industry that educates, entertains, illuminates, inspires and enriches the soul. Witnessing Kate Ceberano on stage is an experience in itself; she oozes talent and sex appeal, she is so natural, generous and inclusive and shines brightly for all to see! An absolute joy to behold!
Sarah-Louise Young – Julie Madly Deeply
The piano overture sets the mood akin to the start of a big motion picture extravaganza, as Sarah-Louise Young, alias Julie Madly Deeply enters the stage, singing the life and times of the one and only Julie Andrews, “from the little girl with a large voice to an international star”.
Sarah-Louise delivers a chronological and colourful history, filled with anecdote and biography, from fact to favourites, telling tales and singing songs about Julie Andrews. A trip along her eventful career path includes singing with her Mother and Step Father in Vaudeville at 8 years old, singing a solo to the King of England at 12 years of age, performing Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, New York, the unforgettable Mary Poppins and Marie Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and the list goes on.
Sarah-Louise delivers an uncanny resemblance to Julie Andrews in the tone of her voice and lights up the stage with varied and delightful renditions of the songs we know and love, capturing the familiar lilt of the one and only Julie Andrews.
Compositions
The World Premiere of “Composition”, performed by Tyran Parke, with photographic images by Trent Parke. I was excited as I entered the theatre and I saw the musician’s tuning-up for the performance. Moments later I was ecstatic that a female conductor entered the stage. For me, that was a first! Moments later, my heartstrings were massaged by the heavenly sounds of the orchestra and then Tyran Parke graced the stage with his presence.
“Sometimes love fades away and all you have left is memories.
I will remember you as the sweetest chord to play”… Words and music by Scott Allen
I was in tears by this time, getting a clear sense of the moving nature of the ‘Compositions’. Tyran Parke endowed the audience with passion, as he shared stories of his life, love and losing his Mother at 9 years of age and the subsequent visit from DOCS to check up on the ‘skinny boys’, that propelled him into the role of stepping up and choosing ‘happy’, in order to save his family!
Inspired by Sondheims’ comment, “Wow, these photos really sing!” when first shown his brother’s work, Tyran travelled the globe, engaging composers to write music and lyrics to the tune of his brother’s photographs. Just as Tyran found direction in the events following his Mother’s passing, his brother, Trent picked up his Mother’s camera and took only black and white photos until the love of his life, who comes from Adelaide, brought colour into view.
The final song, a dedication written from his mother’s imagined perspective, brought another round of tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart.
“I am there, shining like the sun
So proud of all you’ve done
Beaming like a star
Watching you become
The beautiful man you are.”
Thank you Adelaide for hosting and supporting another wonderful line up of performances and talent at this year Cabaret Festival. How proud I am to be South Australian!
© Patricia Herreen 2013
