Cool Cat Cabaret
La Mama at The
Carlton Courthouse until October 27, 2001
Reviewer: Kate
Herbert
There is so much
sophisticated, hyped up performance on during the Melbourne Festival, it is
refreshing to see a bunch of teenagers doing a show they created themselves.
Director, Ella Filar devised Thank God for the Idiot Box
with ten teens called Cool Cat Cabaret from Princes’ Hill Community Centre drama
program. It is a cabaret and sketch comedy show that is genuinely funny.
It has some laugh-out-loud scenes, polished musical numbers,
slick scene segues and a couple of poignant moments. Filar keeps the pace quick
and the scenes short and funny.
These kids have keen powers of observation. Their absorption
of popular culture is total. They have captured the essence of television shows
including the syrupy pseudo intellectual teen soapy, Dawson’s Creek and the
unquestionably silly Scream Test and Popstars.
The lead male from Dawson’s Creek makes us squirm with his
politically correct statement, “I don’t believe the child within is gender
specific.” Another keeps leaping on stage and announcing gleefully, “I’m gay!”
The outrageously deep and husky Scream Test host (Dylan
Evans) takes us on scary trips inside an abandoned orphanage and a home for old
Elvis impersonators.
The weather guy on the news cheers us with news that “the
clouds have happy faces tomorrow”.
The actor-writers keep the parodies coming thick and fast.
In one witty moment, a grandpa listens to a child cry and says, “ I wish I was
teething.”
There is some very listenable live music played by Filar
between scenes and as background to sketches. The opening song, written and
performed by Luke Troyner, is a very
fine number with bass, violin and guitar in a Paul Kelly style. Troyner, is a
classy presence on stage playing the “I’m gay! “ guy as well as a rap artist
performing a song called “Bitch!”
There are scenes
about kids left at home alone, kids with drunken parents, loser mothers, no
dinner and split families. So much for the happy family.
There is a peculiar convention in the latter half. A boy watching
television alone, channel surfs with his remote control until finally he
disappears into the screen. This is not resolved properly but could make a
clever ending.
The closing musical number is a cheerful finale to a
charming and cute show with some real teenage talent on stage.
Kate Herbert
No comments:
Post a Comment