BWW Reviews: In A Pub in Ireland, An Old Man Shares His Story While He Decides Whether To Have THE PARTING GLASS

Friday 12h June 2015, 8:30pm, Hayes Theatre, Potts Point

Damien Leith blends an Irish "Pub Gig" with a father's story of secrets, regrets and love in THE PARTING GLASS: AN IRISH JOURNEY. Irish classics and contemporary favorites that were part of Leith's Australian Idol journey form the backdrop for the emotional story that unfolds as 'Martin' bends a 'stranger's' ear for a couple of hours.

The black box space of Hayes Theatre is essentially undressed, only filled with the accoutrements required for the band with cables, stands, instrument cases, mixing pedals and fold back speakers, in keeping with the vibe of a band set up for a pub gig. The band comprising Eric Aranda (guitars), Jess Graham (violin), Kevin Kelly (bodhrán & tin whistle) and 11th hour addition Cesar Marin (bass guitar, double bass and whistle) back Leith as he leads the band providing the entertainment in the pub the aging Martin has shared a parting drink with his son in, moments before the story starts.

With changes in lighting, voice and posture, Leith, who is in no way an old man, transforms into Martin, an aging father and stereotypical Irishman, as he recounts the events of the final evening with his son before he returned to Australia and contemplates his past whilst commenting on the standard of the band, who up to the start of the story, have failed to impress him with a repertoire of modern music. Throughout Martin's story, he pauses to listen to the band, which in his assessment, improve with the inclusion of recognizable traditional Irish songs.

For these musical interludes, Leith resumes his own persona and shares his connection to the music whether it be how he came to record the work, a piece learnt in his youth or a love of the lyrics. Encouraging the audience to participate (with varying success) standards like Black Velvet Band and Molly Malone are blended with songs that formed part of Leith's rise to fame as Australian Idol winner and have become mainstays of his repertoire such as Roy Orbison's Crying and Chris Isaak's Wicked Game.

Martin's monologues are wonderfully peppered with pop culture references and the humorous misunderstandings older generations have with them such as describing his son Daniel as potentially having ACDC as a child and wondering about the Hugh Heffner's Rabbits and Hares. In classic Irish style, he also includes amusing turns of phrase including his description of his late wife's face in rather unflattering terms. Martin's understanding of Australia, based on his son's recounts, are amusingly recognizable, obviously drawn from Leith's own observations of our peculiarities when he migrated to Australia.

Despite Martin's cynical assessment of the band, the music is wonderful. The song selection is trip down memory lane for many of the audience that could be heard joining in on the classics. The blending of Leith's own connections to the music ensures that the performance remains personal, perfect for the cabaret genre and the interpretation of the music demonstrate an understanding of the lyrics so this is more than just a concert of songs. The music ranges in style from very traditional, modern interpretations lending a rock feel to classics and soulful ballads. Leith's range and signature style is also showcased with his clear falsetto being utilized adding a beautiful overtone to the works.

In addition to a final show at Hayes Theatre at 2pm on Sunday 14th June, THE PARTING GLASS: AN IRISH JOURNEY is touring Australia. Details can be found at http://damienleith.com.au/

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