Paul McDermott and Catherine Alcorn Join Forces at Adelaide Fringe

Cabaret diva Catherine Alcorn and national treasure Paul McDermott join forces to take Adelaide Fringe audiences on the cabaret ride of their lives with an hour of unbridled music, comedy and commentary with the world premiere of Paul + Catherine Sing Together.

In town for four shows only - from Thursday, February 25 to Sunday, February 28 at new Fringe hub, The Queens - Catherine and Paul will celebrate all we've missed thanks to 2020's year of living dangerously.

There'll be new original songs (written by Paul in iso) and a couple of old school bangers that will be a much-needed antidote for these unpredictable and agonising times.

Catherine says: "What I love about this show is the challenge of delivering all new material that Paul and I will be performing together; from dark, emotional numbers to comedic interpretations and rearrangements of well-known classics.

Paul says: "Audiences will experience a sonic assault propelled by comedic madness. Endorphins, stored up during the period of isolation, will be released. Happiness will be restored, and joy will flood the streets of Adelaide."

Paul + Catherine Sing Together is not only a world premiere it will also mark the first time that Catherine and Paul will perform together on stage.

Catherine says: "This is my first interstate gig since February 2020 and my first time back in Adelaide as a performer since Cabaret Festival in 2017. I was 35 weeks pregnant then but I've dumped the kid and I'm ready to come back to Adelaide! I'm free!" she laughs.

This show also sees Paul jump headfirst into cabaret for perhaps the only time in his storied career.

Paul laughs: "I'm sticking my two feet in the dirty cesspool of cabaret. I've admonished cabaret for centuries, all of my life, as the weakest of the arts and now I'm here. Cabaret is the last refuge of this scoundrel."

Paul was the inaugural Adelaide Fringe ambassador who cut his teeth on the streets (well Rundle Mall anyway) of Adelaide with the provocative comedic troupe Doug Anthony All Stars. After DAAS split, Paul became a mainstay of TV and radio as the co-host of triple j breakfast and host of Good News Week, Strictly Dancing, The Great Debate and Think Tank. He is also an author, artist and columnist who released the picture book Ghostbear last year.

Catherine says: "Paul's talent knows no bounds. I grew up watching him on telly - I'm a LOT younger than he is - and have always been in awe of his incomparable improvisation skills and approach to an audience. He's the mastery of trickery. Paul is also an incredible songwriter, and after working on his new material with him over the last six months, I'm excited for audiences to experience these new tunes. They'll deliver on everything a devout McDermott audience craves and will shock the shit out of everyone else!"

Multi award-winning artist Catherine Alcorn is one of Australia's most in-demand entertainers renowned for her powerhouse vocals and razor-sharp wit. In 2018, she made her triumphant USA and Sydney Opera House debut in her most famous role as The Divine Miss Bette, her smash hit show channelling Bette Midler, winning her the Best Cabaret Production in the 2018 Broadway World Awards.

Paul says: "Catherine is a force of nature, in full flight there is nothing, and no one, that can touch her. She is the human embodiment of a glitter bomb and a mirror ball. Simply stunning."

thequeensadelaide.com.au/paul-catherine-sing-together

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