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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

MARVELous The Show

7 November 2024 Rebecca Rose

MARVELous Rating

★★★★★

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If you’re a Marvel fan, you’ll want to get to the National Theatre in St Kilda this week. MARVELous has hit Melbourne for one week only.

But you don’t just have to be a Marvel fan to enjoy the evening of dancing, singing, acrobatics, stunts, and a variety of hilarious parodies that draw reference to a range of pop culture songs and movies outside of the Marvel franchise.

The audience were a-buzz on opening night, and lapped up the high energy, risqué performances (there is nudity, so keep the kids at home!).

Deadpool and his interaction with the audience kept everyone engaged throughout the show. And each of the individual parody skits were captivating and entertaining to watch.

The show definitely entertained the audience; a wonderful way to escape the real world for a couple of hours and have a good laugh and enjoy the spectacle on stage. There is a great mix of both Marvel-specifc and -non-specific pop culture references along the way to cater for a wide range of tastes.

There is some serious talent in the cast, with amazing dancing, vocals, and acrobatics on show.

The show was let down at times with some very slow, silent set changes, which disrupted the flow of the show and could have easily been filled with something as simple as some music, or even just some more character interaction time with the audience, which was in itself a great feature of the show in general.

Several technical issues with sound, lighting, and wardrobe unfortunately drew the attention away from the performances at times too, and it seemed that seating location played a big part in the sound issues too, with those seated towards the back of the audience having the most issues with hearing the cast members at all in the first half. Along with the technical issues, a bit more tightening up of the show in terms of transitions between sets and even the movements of cast within scenes would push the show into presenting as a much more professional category of shows that it deserves to be seen as.

MARVELous the show, really is quite a unique, entertaining, high-energy, and very clever concept. Hopefully, the technical glitches were just some opening-night cobwebs (ah the joys of live theatre!) in what was otherwise an incredibly fun, and extremely funny and enjoyable night out.

Make sure to keep the kids at home for this one, as it’s adults only (well, 15 plus) with lots of partial nudity and plenty of risqué moments.

Get in quick to see MARVELous at the National Theatre in St Kilda 6th – 10th November 2024. Book your tickets now before this marvellous show ends @ https://marveloustheshow.com.au/

Photographer: Ben DIngley

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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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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