BWW Interviews: Sharron Matthews on Scots, South Africa and GOLD
By: Kelly Cameron Jun. 18, 2012
SharRon Matthews, one of the most beloved singers on Toronto’s cabaret and theatre scene, is about to embark on her third journey to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – and she’s planning a huge goodbye gig to leave Toronto in style! Titled the GOLD World Tour, Sharron is taking her show up another notch and celebrating everything GOLD before she heads off to wow some Scots.
The GOLD Tour will be a “Best Hits’ of sorts for the singer, but will also include great new material, fancy costumes, inappropriate jokes and much much more. It’s guaranteed to make you laugh, make you cry and maybe even make you pee your pants! After her Toronto shows Sharron is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, followed by gigs in London, England, New York City, and Cape Town South Africa. This is truly a world tour of the first degree. BWW sat down to speak with Sharron about why she’s going back to Edinburgh, how she ended up with a gig in South Africa, and just what we can expect from her farewell show:
So you’re headed back to Edinburgh! Did you decide that you just needed a bit more Scot in your life?
As far as this gal is concerned, you can NEVER have enough SCOT in your life. Edinburgh is one of my fave cities in the world. It is a city of 500,000 that swells to 2,000,000 during the Edinburgh Festival. I never know what accent or language I am gonna hear when I go into the audience during the show...last year a brought up a dude from Paris...when I asked him his name, he said, "Pierre."...which I told him I thought was a bit 'on the nose' and then we slow danced while I sang "How Deep is Your Love" in his ear...in front of a sold out crowd! HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE SCOTLAND in AUGUST!!!What was your favourite part of the Edinburgh Fringe last year?
The morning my producer woke me up at the crack of dawn..at first I was properly mad for the sleep interruption and then I looked at what he was holding...my picture on the cover of 'The Scotman'...the whole freaking cover...not the crappy corner or anything. The cover of 'The Scotsman' is the Holy Grail to artists at the EdFringe...I felt that, after two years of working hard in Edinburgh, I had finally arrived.
You’re having a cabaret here in Toronto before you depart for Scotland, what can people expect if they come out to the show?
GOLD! That is the name of the show this year and GOLD it will be! There are stories about GOLD diggers (those freakin' Kardashian women...lord), GOLD stealers (those people who take your personal 'GOLD'), I will be wearing some awesome GOLD sequins and singing some of my hit GOLD mash ups of tunes by Beyonce, The Police, Gaga, Queen, The Eagles, Jessie J, Justin Timberlake, Guns and Roses and Radiohead. THIS SHOW IS SHINY!! There is something for all...and you will, as always, laugh, cry and probably pee your pants a bit.
Are you shaking things up or doing anything differently?
I am always looking for a new way to tell a story. A new lead into a song. I never want the audience to feel like have seen this show before. I want the people who keep coming back, who have supported me, to see something new. AND, at the same time, I have been asked by many to reprises some of my GOLD hits (see what I did there?). I have been asked to revisit songs like 'Creep', which I have been performing for about 5 years now. I actually almost scrapped that specific idea after a video went viral this year of a young artist covering it. I never watched it because I feel very close to that song and don't want to be influenced by another artists interpretation. After careful consideration I decided to do it. There are many different ways to tell a story and all are valid. I am gonna find another way in! SO! YES! I WILL SHAKE THINGS UP! YES, I WILL DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. AND YES, you will hear some songs and mash ups you know and love! You can always expect the unexpected at one of my shows. I never do the same show twice.
You’ve also got a surprise production and a gig in South Africa coming up! How did the South African date come about? Can you give us any hints for your surprise?
One of my biggest reasons for returning to Edinburgh is to be seen by international producers, bookers and promoters. Edinburgh is three year, or more, investment to get these people to your show. They have about 3000 shows to choose from, after all. Last year, because of word of mouth about my show, a promoter from South Africa came one night. As I said goodbye to the audience after the show, he came to me and gave me his card and a letter of introduction. One always wonders if these things will come to pass...but then the offer for the inaugural Cape Town Cabaret Festival came. HOW freaking exciting is that? After producing my own show for years and selling myself, it is a dream to be brought somewhere. And to South Africa of all places!
Now, the secret show!!
Now, the secret show!!
After Edinburgh, my UK producing partner is bringing me to London for a show in a proper theatre, The Tristan Bates...but I wanted to do another show, a special show...to go back to my roots. So, Rob Harris, of Climar Productions went on the look out for an interesting location that honours my cabaret roots. For my second show in London, I will be at a wonderful cabaret space called, The Long Acre...with the tables, the booths...the closeness...I love the intimate nature of a room like THAT! I am very excited. A black box theatre one day and a cabaret space the next! LOVES THAT!
You’re considered the Cabaret Queen of Toronto – what tips do you have for up and comers?
Oh my sweet lord. How kind... and thanks for saying so. What to say? Okay. Forge your own path...look at and study the work of others in EVERY genre (music, storytelling, writing, arranging) and use that knowledge to find YOUR OWN voice. I made my own version of cabaret...make yours! There are so many definitions for cabaret...write your own. Look at all types of spaces...find the one that is right for you and if they don't feature acts, ask them to! Be brave, be bold and change the world.
For those unfamiliar with cabaret, can you explain to us exactly what it is and why people should give it a try?
WOW. That is a huge, fabulous question. Let us go back ALMOST to the beginning.
This is the dictionary definition of cabaret: cab-a-ret noun : entertainment held in a nightclub or restaurant while the audience eats or drinks at tables.
Obviously that doesn't cover it.
After seeing so much cabaret, all over the world, I realized that there is no strict definition...everyone has their own idea. BUT I have had the good fortune to meet and/or interview a number of leading artists in the field and here are the things we all agree on.
It is intimate...even if you are performing in a 700 seat theatre.
It is interactive...the audience is always the other character or cast of characters.
Cabaret takes a song out of context and puts it into a personal experience...and sometimes changes the original intention of the song.
It is storytelling at it's closest. You bring the people into your stories. Let them find The Common ground and put themselves in your place...whether it be glamourous, heartfelt, devastating, hysterical or all of the above. The audience can picture themselves at a dinner party with you. They feel like they know you when they leave...and they do. There HAS to be a close audience connection to be a cabaret, in my books.
As I said above, I kind looked at what people were doing in the genre, which was hard to do in Canada because there was almost NO cabaret going on at the time, and then made my own version of cabaret. After performing in musicals for a long time I was intrigued by popular music. I also thought it would be a wonderful way to engage people that did not feel like cabaret was something they wanted to see...that felt that it was too old timey, high fallutin, musical theatre-ie...that is was not for then. In many instances I didn't even call my shows cabaret, because it has such a stigma attached to it, I called it a 'variety show'. Then when people heard the songs I was doing...U2, The Police, Guns and Roses, Radiohead they felt...comfortable...and then you could lead a new audience to a song they might not have heard before and open their minds!People should come out to ALL cabaret, give it a chance but I will speak for my work, because it is what I know best.
At my shows you will hear music you know, music you love and I will tell you a story that will make you laugh, another that might make you wonder and another that might make you cry. We will have a very special night that will NEVER happen again...and you don't have to take me out to dinner first. It will might be our first date...and I promise to go 'all the way....' in the cabaret sense, people...don't get thinking dirty thoughts, now.
I promise, if you come to SharRon Matthews Superstar: GOLD, you will not be disappointed...if you are...I will eat a bug.
Finally, what’s your top 5 playlist right now?
That is another HARD question...I love MUSIC so much! So, I will give you my top 5 songs RIGHT NOW that I love... cabaret style. Story songs with interesting forward movement and great lyrics.
1. It's Good To See You Again- Scott Alan sung by Marcus Paul James
I heard this song on So You Think You Can Dance...I LOVE it when they use musical theatre/cabaret songs...people don't even know...they buy the song on ITUNES just because they love it...and then are surprised.
Watched a wonderful documentary about Shea Stadium and Billy Joel played the last concert there before it was bull dozed. This was from the album recorded that night. I love this song it had me from the first chord and the first line...and Billy Joel is the original piano man. 3. A Case of You - Prince
I love Prince. And Joni Mitchell. His cover takes the song another way! AND I LOVE REINTERPRETATION! 4. Shake it Out - Florence and the Machine & Mr. Know It All - Kelly Clarkson
I count these songs as one because they fit together perfectly. I have wanted to mash them for a couple months but there is no place for it in my show this year...maybe someone out there can give it a go...Florence doesn't always sing perfectly...in fact she goes flat on one of the big belt notes...but this song....wow.And I just love Kelly Clarkson and I heard this song in a H and M and left the store and downloaded it.
5. Mr. Bojangles - Sammy Davis Junior/ Live Version
I could listen to him tell this story one million times...with a full orchestra....live...LOVE!
When and Where?
SharRon Matthews Superstar: GOLD World Tour 2012
July 19th -22nd at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office or online at http://www.buddiesinbadtimes.com/box_office.cfm
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