Review: MARK NADLER - HOOTENANNY – ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL 2024 at Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Friday 7th June 2024.

The King of Cabaret, Mark Nadler, is back again this year for three evenings of his Hootenanny, a freewheeling show that is as unpredictable as Adelaide’s weather. One never knows what will happen in a Hootenanny and, as he explains, that is because he doesn’t either. He Plans his first and last numbers, opening with Let the Good Times Roll, and those that he has rehearsed with his guests, but the rest is unplanned and open to sudden inspirations. This evening became a fabulous string of numbers from what is known as The Great American Songbook, with George and Ira Gershwin prominently featured.

In his spot in the Variety Gala, he performed that great Gershwin number, I Love a Piano. A remark after, from a young performer, made him aware that this marvellous musical legacy needed exposure, and who better to do that than Mark Nadler, who seems to have that entire songbook, and more, committed to memory? More than that, he gives each song a marvellous interpretation. The response of the audience left no doubt that they loved the music of those wonderful songwriters and wanted more, which he gave us.

There was plenty of humorous interaction with a few members of the audience, of course, particularly one matronly woman who wore a sparkly white mini-dress. That was asking for trouble, and he came back to her throughout the show, labelling her a drag queen, among other gentle insults, poked at her in fun. Nadler always keeps his audiences caught between laughing at his spontaneous observances and funny anecdotes, and cheering and applauding at his virtuosic piano playing and superb vocals. His incredible versatility was displayed in the Cell Block Tango, from Kander and Ebb’s musical, Chicago, in which he brilliantly creates each of the six characters.

There was, of course, a fine selection of guests, starting with the very funny Gillian Cosgriff, in a beautifully serious mood on Cy Coleman’s Why Try to Change Me Now?, then swinging like crazy in a vocal and piano duet on Duke Ellington’s Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. Second came the rich voice of Bert LaBonté, with Makin’ Whoopee, then singing a duet on a medley of Nat King Cole numbers: Nature Boy and Mona Lisa. The last of the guests were the hilarious duo, Flo & Joan, forming a trio with Nadler with One Night Only, a song from the show, Dream Girls, then singing one of their own hilarious songs about having drunk far too much, and the consequences.

To close the evening, after acknowledging all of the crew members, Nadler donned his tap shoes for a rousing finish on Who Could Ask for Anything More. There are only two more chances to catch Mark Nadler’s Hootenanny before he flies back to New York, so don’t delay a moment. Book your tickets right now for the Saturday and Sunday evening performances.