Theatre with Bite

t t l l e A A t festiv t festiv t e e ide CABAR A del GO GUIDE CABAR GO GUIDE CABAR A David Campbell became when the new artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, he made a few phone calls to see if some of his friends, colleagues and family would take part. And so was born the 2009 line-up, featuring such illustrious performers as the Tony-award winning star and muse of Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, who Campbell met when they both performed in a special benefit concert in London. “I can’t believe we got Bernadette — to bring her out here is a dream come true,” he says, with the infectious energy and enthusiasm Australians have come to love in this talented stage performer. Then there are newcomers to the cabaret scene such as Hugh Sheridan, star of Channel The Adelaide Festival Centre provides CLOCKwIsE FrOM TOP: David 7’s popular Packed to the Rafters, who the perfect setting for this kind of intimacy Campbell and dad Jimmy Barnes; Bernadette Peters; Kate Ceberano Campbell has known since he was 17, and who — all the Festival venues are under one he describes as “unbelievably talented — the roof, and many of the spaces are set up in next Hugh Jackman”. cabaret mode with tables and chairs, with the When Campbell was asked to perform audience encouraged to eat and drink during himself, he roped in the “old man” — Aussie the performance. Cabaret as an art form has rock icon, Jimmy Barnes — and his half-sister, Cabaret as an art form has evolved over the soul singer Mahalia Barnes. years from the Moulin Rouge days in Paris, evolved over the years from For Campbell, who first burst onto the New to English music halls and New York cabaret York cabaret scene at age 23, directing the clubs. And so the tradition continues with the festival is an exciting opportunity to bring Adelaide Cabaret Festival, now in its ninth the moulin rouge days in Paris, flies direct to top talents to Adelaide in a genre that his year, which is renowned for being the most Adelaide from across career began with. Campbell returned to comprehensive cabaret festival in the world. to english musiC halls and Australia, visit Australia in 1996 to play Johnny O’Keefe With its long-term philosophy of offering Jetstar.com in the musical Shout, followed by Joe the best local and international artists at new york Cabaret Clubs Gillis in Sunset Boulevard, for which he accessible ticket prices, Campbell wanted to won the 2006 Helpmann Award for Best work harder on the balance of international Actor in a Musical. He’s also released and home-grown acts, and he also wanted to Kate Ceberano three albums, all of which have reached keep the new blood flowing. “I’m so excited about this show,” says one Top 10 in the ARIA album charts. His line-up certainly meets that criterion of Australia’s favourite performers, Kate “There’s a theatrical contract with its diverse mix of Broadway stars, Ceberano. “I’ve wanted to do this for so long; between performers and their Australian rockers and country stars, jazz it’s a bit like having a crush on someone and audience, and I think it’s particularly singers, impressionists, comedians and young not being able to talk to them — you know, true of cabaret,” says Campbell. “The up-and-coming talent — everything from the just don’t go there!” communication is intimate.” high camp to the highbrow. But she is going there, at the request of her friend David Campbell — and her one-woman one-night show, Love & The Bottom Line, is all about just that — love and going there, and love gone wrong. ith a differenc “This is something I’ve wanted ut w e, to experiment with for a long time ht o e of th a nig ch on e — music and stage performing together For cat in the same frame. I worked with writer eal, d at the a m tage Sarah Walker on it, so it’s mostly fiction, t and be s h to stival partly autobiographical — I’ll let the e acts t Fe e top are audience work out which bits are which! t b a i e C The music is all Burt Bacharach, loaded a id b Adela e t n with emotion and schmaltz.” r 0 Ju h 2 R Ceberano has just released a new e 5– illA t n M i o eR H w HeAt album Bittersweet. 20 June Ds wOr 2009, Festival Theatre Stage. 30 31 t l e A t festiv t Axis of Awesome e ide CABAR A Catchy tunes, clever lyrics and hilarious banter lAte-night eAts del are the hallmarks of Sydney-based comedy act, GO GUIDE CABAR A Axis of Awesome. Piano Bar The trio from Sydney — Jordan Raskopoulos, Adelaide Festival Centre Lee Naimo and Benny Davis — shot to internet Catch the sounds of Ali McGregor, Mahalia fame during the 2007 federal election with Barnes and many more show favourites. Entry their satirical clips featuring campaign is free with a ticket for a show that night, or highlights, such as a rap battle between John AU$10 at the door. From 10pm, throughout Howard and Kevin Rudd. the festival. “We looked up the definition of cabaret the other day,” says guitarist Lee Naimo La Boheme of their impending trip to South 36 Grote St, tel: +61 (8) 8212 8884 Australia. “It said, ‘entertainment This intimate Parisian-style cabaret bar/ while you eat’. So while we might lounge has a turn-of-the-century, Europe- be a point of difference at the meets-the-21st-century feel. festival, as long people are eating, it should be okay.” Electric Light Hotel Six years on, with a 235 Grenfell St, tel: +61 (8) 8232 2666 Moosehead award from the A historic hotel refurnished to feature a plush, 2008 Melbourne Comedy French provincial cocktail lounge, relaxed Festival under their belts, and front bar, huge outdoor garden and The citing Jack Black’s Tenacious Producers Bar. D as a major influence, it might be worth checking out if the Dragonfly Bar + Dining bold statement on their promo 193 Victoria Sq, tel: +61 (8) 8212 5661 material for the festival is true: “Get Dragonfly offers fine food, great wine, beers ready to rock your face off!”. 6 & 7 and cocktails, plus exhibition space for both June, The Banquet Room. performing and visual arts. for all your travel choices, Axis of Awesome visit Jetstar.com 32.

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