Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Wednesday 22nd June, 2016
One of the most productive and exciting features of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival is the encouragement of young people who have discovered cabaret, and their exposure to amazing mentors, and real audiences, beyond family and friends. A year after their initial engagement with intensive training, some of those young people get together again as the Class of Cabaret Graduates to present a performance.
Be Mused is this year's graduate production, showcasing five past participants.
Naomi Crosby, Benji Riggs, Mellie Tantalos, Harry Nguyen, and Jemma Allen had the great good fortune to be mentored and coached by the amazing cabaret diva, Libby O'Donovan, be directed by the highly experienced Andy Packer, and have the very sensitive accompanist,
Mark Ferguson, as their musical director. They form a support team that anybody would love. Interestingly, four of the five young performers have also been involved with the Adelaide Youth Theatre, a group that has mounted many very fine performances and provided many young people with training and experience.
The five, having now left high school, tell us about the changes that this has brought to their lives, such as finding jobs and places to live, paying their own bills, as well as questioning their futures. The evening was a combination of ensemble numbers and solos, introduced with generally humorous patter.
The performance opened Strongly, with the ensemble singing Bohemian Rhapsody and displaying their skills in harmonising, followed by a very funny look at modern technology in a parody of Say a Little Prayer. During the performance each had a couple of solo spots, telling their stories and singing a variety of songs, as well as ending with more harmony.
The range of numbers was diverse and extensive, featuring Naomi Crosby with Quiet and I Won't Say I'm in Love, Benji Riggs with I'm All Over It and The Change, Mellie Tantalos with When He Sees Me and Don't Rain On My Parade, Harry Nguyen with Gravity and In Short, and Jemma Allen with Corner of the Sky and Frimfram Sauce. This gave the participants plenty of opportunity to show their abilities with both their patter and in their skills in selling a song.
Along the way, the group came together to sing Hollywood, and the three young women joined forces to let us all know I Need a Hero. At the end, the full company left us with more fine harmonies in We Belong and Somebody to Love. Keep an eye open for these five names. You can be certain that they'll be presenting their own solo shows before long.
As expected, the standard of each member of the group was exceptionally high and there was applause and cheering after every number show that the audience were most appreciative. The Class of Cabaret and Class of Cabaret Graduates performances are on my list every year. Make sure that they are on yours.
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