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A Very Naughty Christmas

13 December 2024 Amelia Williamson

A Very Naughty Christmas Rating

★★★★★

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‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ is back for its eighth year with a delicious new array of jaw-dropping spectacles and skits. The musical features raunchy dance showcases, brilliant Christmas parodies, and hilariously vulgar gags in what is fast becoming Australia’s best Christmas show for adults.

The star-studded cast attacks the stage with vivid confidence. The company is small yet fierce, many of whom are triple-threat performers and graduates of Performing Arts institutes from all over Australia. The show offers almost too many memorable scenes to choose a favourite, and running at just under two hours long, the spectacle is a joy to witness from beginning to end.

The most iconic of parodies include “Walking ‘Round in Women’s Underwear” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (with an expose of X-rated toys…in every store). The calibre of vocal strength among principal singers rivals the talent of Australia’s most well-known musical theatre performers. Grace Laing and Jarrod Moore win over the audience’s affection, particularly for their indulgent vocal qualities, memorable storylines, and natural on-stage charisma.

Asmara Soekotjo stuns as the cast’s most striking mover, unsurprisingly adorned as this season’s Dance Captain. Soekotjo takes center stage in a parody of The Police’s “Roxanne”, turned “Rudolph Put On The Red Light” where she displays her aerial and lyrical might.

Led by the idyllic Mr Santa Claus, played by Tim Paige, the musical sees several hysterical audience interactions during the evening of fun. The cast revels in mischievous antics all night by poking fun at and embarrassing the viewers unlucky enough to be scouted into the limelight by performers. For those particularly unfortunate, a segment of the audience on-stage performance could be involved.

The talented live band adds to the glossy exterior of the production without any significant reliance on pre-recorded material. High-quality lighting, production, live sound, and cast confidence are a testament to the production’s long-standing history of success.

The extravaganza of risque bliss is nestled in St Kilda’s Alex Theatre and is a Christmas show not to be missed. A Very Naughty Christmas is making its way through nine total shows running in Melbourne until December 21.

To book tickets to A Very Naughty Christmas, please visit https://melbourne.averynaughtychristmas.com/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Amelia Williamson

The Christmas Spectacular

9 December 2024 Amelia Williamson

The Christmas Spectacular Rating

★★★★★

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The Christmas Spectacular tour has officially begun with its season debut at Crown’s Palms Theatre in Melbourne. The glitzy extravaganza features magic, circus art, showgirl acts, and performances of universally adored Christmas songs.

The shining star of the night was host and principal singer Prinnie Stevens. Gracing the stage after rising to fame on Season One of The Voice Australia, Stevens radiated confidence and charm all evening long. Highlights of her vocal showcase included Mariah Carey’s hits ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You” and “Joy to the World”.

Illusionist Michael Boyd performed spectacular shows of magic that proved mind-blowing for viewers of all ages. The former Australia’s Got Talent Finalist showcased brilliance as a magician and semi-host of the night with his captivating stage personality and interactive stunts.

Circus artist Aleisha Manion showcased gravity-defying stunts without fault. Her executions were polished, smooth, and perfectly timed between showcases of dance and song to maintain audience excitement.

Glamorous costuming took full effect and enhanced the performances of Showgirls and male dancers. The vast array of dance styles and stage-wear complimented the talent and sharp work of all performers.

The momentum of the show, however, was interrupted by the incorporation of several slow ballad songs, which halted the ‘extravaganza’ theme of the night. Similarly, the frequent use of backing tracks with automated singing flattened the polish of the evening, and a pre-recorded speech during Santa’s appearance gave the finale an awkward feel.

Overall, the debut of the 2024 Christmas Spectacular was a success, with the cast and crew delivering a dazzling evening as intended. The spectacle held the attention of even the youngest crowd members from start to finish by showcasing short bursts of entertainment. At 90 minutes long, it makes for a perfect snapshot of Christmas-themed excitement for all ages. The show is now on the road heading for Canberra, followed by stops in Brisbane and Adelaide before concluding in Sydney.

To book tickets to The Christmas Spectacular, please visit https://thechristmasspectacular.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Amelia Williamson

Scandalous Cabaret

20 November 2024 Amanda Harrison

Scandalous Cabaret Rating

★★★★★

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Scandalous Cabaret is a fusion of Circus, Comedy and Cabaret all rolled into one travelling act in a tent. With a larger cast of twelve performers they advertise their show as a ‘hybrid’ adults only Circus, that delivers a sensually themed collection of acts.

The performance contained many old favourites from the Circus arts however with modern twists. We see the Unicycle, but also a miniature version, a three-wheeled version and a two-story off-centred version. Juggling is another classic, but performed with bounce, movement and up to 7 balls at once.

The absolute standout of the act was the talented Trapeze artist who also performed an aerial act with chains and neck spinning. She was mesmerising, with incredible strength and fluidity of movement. A great commendation is needed for the choreographer of the acts, as every performance had amazing flow of movement and contained many transitions.

The choreography knew when to contrast stillness and movement, and constantly used symmetry between the aerial artists. This was evident across the board, including a contortion routine that contained so much elasticity and smoothness of movement. Another standout was a fire performance containing skin transfers and fire eating. This act had great transitions and practical use of fire palms, bubbles and wands with excellent variation between these things.

The individual circus acts were to an incredibly high standard, where it seems that achieving a continuum would be within their grasp. The dance choreography had a very classic jazz style and made little interludes between acts, which was not unwelcome. There was mention of tracking ‘gossip’ surrounding relationships as a story-line for the performance, but this was quickly forgotten.

It would be nice to see this story-line develop more or play a more active role in the way things are staged. We did get a nice classic jazz number that was sung quite well, it would be nice to see more showcasing of vocal talents in their line-up in the future. The song choices and comedy included in the show feel a little crude and immature, not giving a high-class cabaret feel to the show. It would be good to see the staging and theming evolve to better showcase the fantastic talent contained within their cast.

Overall, Scandalous was not very much so, but a great showcase of fluid choreography and talent. It still proved an entertaining time with nice reinventions of older circus acts, and a large cast of professionals.

Scandalous Cabaret runs 15th November – 14th December.

To book tickets, please visit https://scandalous.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Author: Amanda Harrison

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Global Smash Club: A Full-Throttle Cabaret Spectacle

20 October 2024 Emelia May

Finucane & Smith’s Global Smash Club Rating

★★★★★

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Exuding colour, light, and all things sublime, Finucane & Smith’s ‘Global Smash Club’ celebrates its 20th anniversary exactly as it came into the world: with a glorious bang.

Opening night at Trades Hall saw the ETU Ballroom bursting with talent, as icons of Melbourne’s art and theatre scene took to the stage for an hour of cabaret, spectacle, and daring subversion. At the helm, Moira Finucane – Fringe legend and co-creator of the original ‘Burlesque Hour’ – isn’t one to shy away from making a mess. Her performances tore through the boundaries of convention with wild abandon and dubious liquids, stirring the pot in ways that left the crowd gasping for more (and more and more).

Performance art legend Maude Davey transformed the ballroom into a high-voltage dive bar with powerhouse vocals, off-the-charts energy, and a healthy side of rock and roll. Her cheeky acts blended classic burlesque with a contemporary edge, and were just so cool (seriously, Aussie-BBQ-meets-showgirl should be compulsory viewing).

Yumi Umiumare, the undisputed goddess of dark fever dreams, served up her signature whiplash concoction of surreal dance, twisted comedy, and Butoh, luring the crowd to the edge of reality with spellbinding intensity. The way her intricate costumes moved and flowed under her precise control was as hypnotic as it was impressive.

Sharing the stage with these powerful headliners was a dazzling ensemble of stars. Unforgettable performances from Mama Alto, Piera Dennerstein, Imogen Kelly, Zitao Deng, and Xiao Xiao suspended the crowd between moments of breathless awe and unbridled laughter. The evening’s magic was punctuated by a special appearance from Yorta Yorta Taungurung Wiradjuri elder and artist Glennys Briggs and country musician Ian Muir. With live music and art filling every corner, the show was an all-encompassing, neon-drenched seduction of the senses.

What makes ‘Global Smash Club’ truly irresistible, however, is the bold individuality of its performers. Each act overflows with personality, effortlessly balancing artistic expression and unhinged absurdity. If you’ve got a good sense of humour and don’t mind a bit of provocation, this will do you just fine. As for me, the odd fish that I am, I felt right at home in the chaos – though it still got a few dropped jaws out of me! By the end, I left no less than obsessed and hopelessly in love with the beautiful madness of it all.

‘Global Smash Club’ has everything you never knew you needed – cabaret, karaoke, the possessed demonic spirit of Hello Kitty. It’s a lucky dip of performance art that can’t be pinned down, and you either get with it or get left behind. Defying reason and transcending both genre and gender, this show asks: why be normal when you can be gloriously indecent instead? It’s cheeky, saucy, and it’ll leave you soaking wet (literally).

As a passionate farewell to this year’s Melbourne’s Fringe Festival, ‘Global Smash Club’ is more than just a show; it’s a sweaty, sexy homage to a powerful movement that refuses to simply survive – it thrives in all its naked glory. Catch it this weekend only at Trades Hall – satisfaction guaranteed.

For further information on Finucane & Smith, please check out: https://www.finucaneandsmith.com/

Photographer: Max Roux

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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