Come To The Cabaret: The Hayes Theatre Co. Cabaret Season

The Hayes Theatre Co. brings its second annual Cabaret Season to the people of Sydney this June. With an ambitious line-up, it promises to bring a month-long celebration of cabaret for performers and spectators to enjoy, experienced and amateur alike.

“There’s a whole lot of really exciting things that are coming in and we’re just thrilled with the line up and the quality of the shows,” says Victoria Wildie. The manager at the Hayes is one of the people behind the scenes of the four-week procession of feathers, sequins and high-notes. She has been at the helm of arranging the 17 performing artists and 40 individual shows that will be running throughout the season.

The season provides the perfect first taste to cabaret virgins and an excellent opportunity for musical theatre fanatics to get their fix in a city that has been sadly lacking in cabaret festivals for some time. It will launch with Australiana, a concert celebrating Australian music and musicals on June 1. “That’s going to be a really exciting night,” Victoria enthused. “It’s a great way to start off the season and bring a focus that we perhaps don’t pay much attention to in Australia, which is the work of our own writers.”

The season will then follow on with an impressively diverse line-up of shows, forums and master classes beginning June 3.

Reviewing The Situation tells the life story of one of Britain’s most celebrated composers and the creator of the iconic musical Oliver! Under the direction of Terence O’Connell, Phil Scott plays the role of Lionel Bart: “Nobody remembers much about him as a person, and he had a really interesting life. He became very famous and rich, and then very poor, and he lost the rights to the show which was his masterpiece.”
Set in the tiny apartment where he spent his final years, Scott portrays a post-fame Bart as he indiscriminately drinks and tinkers at the piano, playing his famous songs and gradually revealing the story of his life in random order.“It’s like we’re having a little party in his apartment and that reminds him of the big parties he used to have when he had all the money,” explained Scott. With the assistance of old documentary footage and a long lunch with Barry Humphries (who was involved in the original production of Oliver!), Scott gives a noteworthy portrayal.

Inspired by the history and passion of the Motown music and era, Bree Langridge fronts Little Diana And The Big Fuzz. In the role of Little Diana (a character inspired by the likes of Diana Ross and Tina Turner) Langridge takes us on a tumultuous personal journey that gets down to the roots of Motown: “We will do some fresh takes on some songs, some we’ve broken down a little bit, others we will amp up in certain areas.”
With esteemed musicians Kevin Mendoza and Darryl Beaton on board, the talented band joining her on stage are an essential component and Langridge describes them as “living versions of Motown”. With an original blend of music and theatre, this cabaret is an educated tribute to a musical genre that was started from nothing and forged from blood, sweat and tears: “You get the songs you want to hear, but with real heart and understanding.”

From the likes of Kurt, a cabaret exploring the life and music of the influential Nirvana front man, to an intimate evening with Marina Prior in A Prior Engagement – diversity is a running theme not only in the acts but also in the talent. Newcomer Josie Lane will explore the lighter side of what its like to find your ground as an Asian woman working in an art form often fronted by white women with blonde hair in Asian Provocateur.

“We’re just very excited that we’re bringing a whole lot of artists that people might not have ever heard of before in Sydney,” Victoria enthused.

First time cabaret performer and long time entertainer, Rob Mills also joins the bill with Surprisingly Good. “I was talking to him the other day and he’s really excited about the prospect of bringing it here and premiering it at Hayes Theatre,” Victoria told us. “It’s a bit of a tongue in cheek look at the fact that despite his quite extensive career, every time he does anything the reviews always come back saying: ‘that guy from Australian Idol, he’s actually quite good!’”

As Victoria explained, it was the vision of the theatre’s original founders that the venue would become Sydney’s home of cabaret and musical theatre: “There is such a wealth of talent throughout the country, they just thought it was a shame that Sydney was missing out on that experience.”

Audiences are encouraged to indulge in a double pass package as part of the HUB Club.

The Hayes Theatre Co. Cabaret Season 2015, June 1 – June 28, Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Avenue Potts Point, single tickets from $35-$40. Three and five show ticket packages available. Tickets & info: http://www.hayestheatre.com.au/what-s-on/cabaret-season-2015/

Reviewing The Situation, June 3 – June 6. More info: http://www.hayestheatre.com.au/cabaret-season-2015/reviewing-the-situation.html

Little Diana And The Big Fuzz, June 9 – 10. More info: http://www.hayestheatre.com.au/cabaret-season-2015/little-diana-and-the-big-fuzz.html