The Vegas Lounge

Establishing itself as the party hub of Mardi Gras, The Vegas Lounge is an evening of comic cabaret that is part sideshow, part karaoke, and a whole lot of fun.

After the success of SCREAMERS! in 2015 (a show that endowed Tony Abbott as the ‘Lizard of Oz’) and playing to sold-out audiences for last year’s Mardi Gras show Judy, Barbara, Liza, Bette! – the glamorous Velma Vegas takes to the stage for a fiendish show that celebrates diversity and abolishes Sydney’s lockout laws.

“Velma has belted out tunes in the Spiegeltent, in various clubs in and around Melbourne, and has even opened for Sydney Festival a couple of times. With a voice that’s been described as part Judy Garland, part Reg Livermore, part Boy George, Velma’s a powerful singer and a great host with quick wit and warmth with every audience.”

The show kicks off every night with artist Blak Douglas performing a thundering didgeridoo beat piece. Velma will also be joined by a consciously diverse rota of one-night-only guest stars starting with Joseph Chetty this Friday (one to satisfy fans of house music) and acts including ‘sex clown’ Betty Grumble and White Knuckle Fever’s Celia Curtis as alter ego Anita Douche.

With comfortable cabaret table seating and action taking place over three different stages “the audience is going to be spinning around all night”.

Director Gavin Vance explained that if there is a through line to their shows, it is that the Screamers! always seek to examine the people in power. “We started to believe we had a magical power to actually unseat powerful leaders,” he said, reflecting that Abbott was ousted by Turnbull only a week before their 2015 show.

“So it’s interesting then that this show that we’re doing now has a very strong ‘Keep Sydney Open’…anti-lockout laws message to it, and only two weeks ago ‘Casino Mike’ Baird is toppled,” he added.

Vance encourages audiences to bring their friends, lounge around in the air-conditioning and stay back for a drink with the cast and crew. As for his favourite act, he looks forward to Velma’s performance of the disco hit ‘Maniac’ rewritten to be about President Trump, “It’s hilarious and it will let people let off some steam!” (AM)

Feb 3–Mar 3, Fridays 8pm. Sound Lounge at The Seymour Centre, cnr City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. $27.50-$37.50. Tickets & info: www.seymourcentre.com 

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