Cabaret Chat Noir
Up Top Cocktail Bar
123 Russell St. 8pm Sunday Nov 30, 1997
Reviewed by Kate
Herbert on No 30, 1997
Melbourne has a
tradition of reviving Berlin and Parisian cabaret and the latest update is
Cabaret Chat Noir, (Black Cat) named after the first paris venue which opened
in 1881.
The Flying Trapeze and Last Laugh, in the late 70's-early
80's were host to many artists working in the Berliner tradition including
Cabaret Conspiracy from Sydney, Henry Maas, Ruth Shonheimer and Howard Stanley.
Chat Noir is hosted by the laconic, Marlene-like Sarah
Vincent. The varied and very entertaining program comprises original or adapted
political songs, readings of brooding stories or comic political observations
and a peppering of puppetry and a few other quirky pieces.
The venue and crowd are as important as the content in this
type of work. The Up Top Cocktail Bar is decorated with kitch 50's prints of
Sophia Loren look-alikes in exotic locations. It croons 50's lounge music and
accommodates a cool 20 something clientele. Very funky!
Although, with twenty acts and two intervals, the show is
too long, it is a strong program. Vincent's dry, witty and ultra relaxed banter
links the pieces happily and her 'scissor stories', which are cut-up versions
of Mills and Boons a' la Ern Malley, are hilariously bizarre.
The sexy Soubrettes duo (Tania Kyriakou & Alice Carter),
accompanied by a three-piece band, sing tuneful songs with lyrics providing a barbed
social commentary.
Their songs include an attack on Kennett as 'Leader of the
Pack' and a satire of anti-feminism, 'I want to be a real woman'. One highlight
was the clever and poignant adaptation of 'Whenever I feel afraid.. I whistle a
happy tune,' which challenges the sweetness of the song by continuing 'and
no-one will suspect I've been raped.'
Jamie Silver postulates that, given the dire state of our
world, aliens landing in Bourke Street would ask, 'What the... do you people
think you're doing down here?' Margaret Bearman's rich-chocolate prose, about a
middle-aged woman's sexual encounter with a teenager, is dark and disturbing.
There is a silent bouffon waiter (Christian Bagin) who flits
on and off stage, a dissatistifed cafe-hopping torch song singer (Genevieve
Messenger) and a very stylish and novel adult shadow puppet piece about a woman
looking for love.
Director, Kyriakou, a graduating student of the VCA, has
created a colourful and entertaining evening. Some acts are less successful than
others and the structure needs some balancing of short and long pieces but it
really is a great night Up Top.
KATE HERBERT
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