It’s September in Sydney – time for the largest arts festival in NSW The Sydney Fringe Festival, to come alive. Over 400 events are being hosted across multi venues. I visited the Village Green Festival Garden at Darling Quarter on a cold evening to watch the cabaret Leather Lungs: Shut Up and Sing. The outside was chilly, but fortunately inside the tent it was warmer and was about to become even more so with the arrival of Leather Lungs.
Bursting onto the stage with bright blue hair, long eyelashes, wearing a sequin dress and a bright pink taffeta coat, Leather Lungs exuded energy and radiance. Their introduction and comedic story telling immediately had the audience cheering. We discovered that although this opening night act was the first time they had performed at The Fringe Festival in Sydney, this New Zealand entertainer has had a full career performing their self written cabaret all over the world. Leather Lungs has sung with Adele and performed for the Beckhams, and has won the Best Cabaret Weekly Awards in 2020 and 2021.
Shut Up and Sing, Leather Lung’s solo show, blends storytelling and song together into a mesmerising walk through some experiences in their life. They begin with an original song which appears to be a dedication to their Nanna Gail and the very sound advice that she had given to them when she was alive. They share this memory as they reminiscence, conveyed in a sweet and gentle song about insecurity and being kind to yourself. Within the small tent, we could almost feel Nana Gail there with us.
Leather Lungs followed with a song that they and Nana Gail had sung when they were out exploring the woods – a cheeky rendition of Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Although this traditional nursery song doesn’t sound like the typical cabaret song, coupled with Leather Lung’s active physicality accompaniment around the stage and a hilarious repetitive impersonation of some farm animal noises, they had us in stitches laughing! This was also one song where we were encouraged to join in singing with them, which delighted the audience.
Leather Lungs continued to capture the audience with their humour, wit and spectacular four octave vocal range! They had the skill of storytelling, highlighting some important serious themes, ranging from being in an unhealthy relationship and sharing some health issues, to balancing it with tales of growth, self acceptance and love. It was a beautiful mix in the show and Leather Lungs left us with the very real message to not be a bystander, and not to be complacent when faced with difficulties life will inevitably throw at us. Don’t depend on others rescuing you – a reminder as they purposely cut short the song “I Need a Hero”. We can rescue ourselves.
Leather Lungs reminds us via their song lyrics – “Life is no cabaret, but I’m inviting you anyway.. just Sing”.
Go see this show – it was and it wasn’t what I was expecting from a cabaret. Yes it was energetic. Yes there were songs, glitter, fabulously outrageous costumes, fishnet stockings, big boots and an even bigger voice. What I didn’t expect was the cohesive flow of life’s lessons told with tender charm – bravo Leather Lungs!
Leather Lungs: Shut Up and Sing, is playing inside the South Tent at the Village Green Festival Garden.
Dates: 17 – 22 September 2024
Tickets: $23
Duration: 55 minutes
Producer: Ben Anderson
www.sydneyfringe.com/events/leather-lungs-shut-up-sing
