Willcommen, Bienvenue, Welcome to the Cabaret, 21st
century style - sexy, sophisticated, classy and deliciously camp. The
genre of cabaret, created as avant garde, risqué adult entertainment in
Paris in the 1890s, has always been about pushing the boundaries of
taste and decency from naughty but nice to the daringly decadent. This
show takes us on a journey through the past century from Montmartre,
Weimar Berlin and Soho nightclubs, English Music Hall to the underworld
of grotesque burlesque, striptease and drag queens.
The original Cave of the Golden Calf was a Bohemian Soho
nightclub, founded by the legendary socialite Frida Strindberg in 1912,
inspired by the Kaberett Fledermaus of her native Vienna. Arts and
theatre entrepreneur Andrew Brown revitalised the Cave for the Fringe
festival in 2005 and 2006, featuring a unique showcase of music,
comedy, mime and exotic burlesque performances. The Cave is back this
year in the dark and intimate space of the Mysterious Theatre with its
private bar, downstairs at Assembly's new venue in Freemason's Hall.
As always the line up of star turns is a diverse and eclectic mix, hand
picked from the cabaret circuit of London, New York, Australia and San
Francisco. As always the debonair Andrew Brown takes the role of MC, in
his scarlet smoking jacket and tartan trews. The mood and tempo begins
soft and slowly as mime artiste Ryan Styles - described as the new
Charlie Chaplin - delights us with his moving performance as a clown
with a pregnant bump, ballooning his way in a gentle waltz across the
stage. His sad face crumples in despair and then gradually smiles in
heart shaped happiness.
A shift up gear next with La Celine who
captures the spirit of Edwardian London Music Hall as Naughty Nancy,
the working class cockney girl in her feather hat and lace bloomers, as
proud as a Duchess. Later on, La Celine transforms into the tough-talking Fraulein Fritz, carousing and schmoozing the gentlemen in the
audience. This lady is a natural comedienne and character actress par
excellence.
The musical star of the show is Marni Rice, accordionist, French
chanson singer and rock chick from New York. In red fishnet stockings
and black boots she sings Kurt Weill's love song Nanna's Lied
with passion and panache, instantly creating the atmosphere of a smoky
Weimar Berlin nightclub. Any moment you think Sally Bowles will walk on
stage. The beautiful, cool and sassy Marni also sings like Edith Piaf
and performs her own raunchy rock ballads.
From laid back entertainment we hit the hard stuff. It's Burlesque time
with exotic, erotic trapeze artist Empress Stah with her cheeky Hello
Sailor! acrobatic routine and later shows off more performance art
skills as she reveals all in a wickedly witty gold sequined finale. At
the start the MC has promised a late night show of "balloons and
pricks." Balloons of all shapes and sizes are blown up and burst.
Now
enter Suppositori Spelling, the stunningly glamorous 6 ft drag queen
from San Francisco. Dressed in blue satin and big hair she sings, she
lip synchs, she dances, she prances - picture Madonna on speed. And to
a fabulous neo-classical track by Loop Station, "Last time I saw you I
nearly drank myself to death," her outrageous Mermaid sketch is one of
the many highlights of the night.
Since its debut on the Fringe in 2005, the Cave of the Golden Calf
has matured and developed with style, confidence and professionalism.
This year's extravaganza of utterly unique cabaret performances is
sensational. So make your way to Venue 7, get yourself a strong drink,
and enjoy 90 minutes of cool, crazy, camp adult entertainment to end
your Fringe day with a bang.
Times: 2- 26 August, 10.30pm