Interview: Mark Nadler. BARRY LENNY INTERVIEWED THE CABARET ICON, MARK NADLER, appearing at the Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre

Mark Nadler is coming to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and I spoke to him about his return.

Mark Nadler was a regular visitor to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, pulling huge crowds to his late-night Broadway Hootenanny in the Piano Bar of the Festival Theatre, with many of the other performers in the Festival dropping by as his guests to perform with him, and, later, transferring the Hootenanny to the Banquet Room where audiences packed the room. He also presented some wonderful scripted shows. After a ten-year absence, he is returning this year with The Old Razzle Dazzle, and two nights of his Hootenanny, all in the Banquet Room.

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Mark, how does it feel to be coming back to Adelaide?

I can’t even put into words how excited I am!! I have so many friends that I haven’t seen in far too long, and the Adelaide audiences remain my favourite crowds I’ve ever played to.

What can we expect from your show, The Old Razzle Dazzle?

That’s a show about lies, lying, and liars. In it I try to look at our addiction to lying and liars from all angles, parenting, romance, and, of course, politics. The show is heavy on satire but also gets into some very deep and dark territory…. All I can say is everywhere I’ve done it it’s been my most successful show to date and I can’t WAIT to get it in front of the very smart audience in Adelaide!!

You have been performing a number of scripted shows over the years, solo, and with other performers. Do you think that we are likely to see any of those in Adelaide?

God knows I’d love to bring ALL of them to Adelaide. If I have anything to say about it, I’ll be back with one or all of those shows — but let’s see how things go this time around. It’s up to a lot of people who are not called Mark Nadler.

You have just been nominated for a French Tony Award. Tell us about that.

I was GOBSMACKED!! I’ve won 17 awards (I think) in my lifetime and I’ve been nominated dozens of times — including for a Helpmann! But I never, in my wildest imagination, thought I’d be nominated for an award in Paris for performing in FRENCH!! (You know, the Parisians can be real bitches about how you speak their language!!), but here it is. I did a show in Paris called “Gaby Deslys”, with two other people, about a woman who was one of the biggest stars in the world from 1913-1920 and who is now completely forgotten. I play her accompanist and confidante and for that performance, I was nominated for Le Trophée de la Théâtre Musicale in the Featured Male Performer category. It’s a great, great honor!!

Is there anything else that you’d like to tell your fans in Adelaide?

GET READY TO STAY UP LATE AND WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING WITH VERY HAPPY MEMORIES OF EVENINGS YOU’LL REGRET FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!! LET THE BUBBLES POUR, LET THE MUSIC SOAR, AND LET THE CHOOKS FLY!!!!!!!!!

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Mark Nadler’s shows always sold out to capacity audiences, so don’t wait a second to book or you’ll miss out on the chance to spend a few nights with New York’s King of Cabaret.

The Old Razzle Dazzle is at 9:15 on Thursday15th June in the Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre.

Book here

Hootenanny is at 10:30 on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June in the Banquet Room, Adelaide Festival Centre.

Book here.