4th Annual Sydney Cabaret Convention
Opening
Night - Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Sydney Town Hall: Sydney, Australia
Tonight
marked the start of the 4th Sydney Cabaret Convention. Having just
returned from San Francisco where I attended the 3rd West Coast Cabaret
Convention, I knew that it would be all too easy to make comparisons.
But, to paraphrase the old saying, comparisons are not only odious,
but also misleading. Australian cabaret history and experience is
different from that of the USA and this Convention certainly reflects
that diversity.
Julie
Wilson, Special Guest Star of this Convention, best summed up the
way to characterize this cabaret experience in the song she sang to
kick off the evening: "Don't Ask the Lady Where The Lady's Been Before,
Just Ask Her What She's Doin' Now" (Coleman and Leigh from the revival
of LITTLE ME). What we were about to witness was a celebration where
the primary emphasis was on talent, rather than "the great songs,"
as was the case in San Francisco. And as the exquisite Ms. Wilson
noted in song, the important consideration was on what the artists
in question were "doin' NOW." Performers' abilities are the central
theme of this Convention; "the song" is the means for assessing skills.
The
unique focus of this Convention, with its emphasis on talent development,
was best summed up by Frank Sartor, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, in his
Message in the Convention program: "The Sydney Cabaret Convention
is a City of Sydney initiative. Through this unique showcase, artists
can gain valuable experience performing in from of live audiences,
learn from the talents of international guest artists and mingle with
their peers as they gain helpful tips via the Kerrie Biddell Masterclass.
Moreover, the Convention is a great opportunity to be seen by potential
employers, as indeed many performers have been offered jobs as a result
of appearing at the Convention."
Readers
of my previous reviews of the Sydney Cabaret Conventions of 1998 and
1999 will know that the format is different from cabaret celebrations
in New York and San Francisco (both of which are produced by Donald
Smith and the Mabel Mercer Foundation). In Sydney, the performers
who are showcased over 4 evenings are asked to prepare two songs with
connecting patter, all of which are meant to last no longer than 7
minutes. But the element of this Convention that set it very much
apart from its US counterparts is the aspect of talent competition.
In
previous years, a single performer was singled out by judges to be
superior to all others act on view in terms of performance and awarded
with a round-trip ticket to New York and the opportunity to perform
in the New York Cabaret Convention. In later conventions, the number
of awards was increased, allowing other runners-up to gain other opportunities
(attending but not performing in the New York Convention; being booked
for a series of appearances at a cabaret venue in Sydney). This year
the number of awards has been increased with three prizes to be awarded:
1.
The City of Sydney Award - the winner receives a single round-trip
ticket to New York, with accommodation and an invitation to perform
at the 2000 New York Cabaret Convention. This award has been donated
by the City of Sydney, the Millennium Hotel of Sydney and the Mabel
Mercer Foundation.
2.
The Belvedere Award - the winner receives a single round-trip ticket
to New York, with accommodation and a guest pass to the 2000 New York
Cabaret Convention. This award, incidentally, has been donated by
the newest cabaret venue in Sydney (the Belvedere Room at the Millennium
Hotel) and the New York Cabaret Convention and the Mabel Mercer Foundation.
3.
The Corporate Gold Award - this award of $500 is the newest addition
to the prize category and has been donated by a Sydney event company
(Celebration Innovation) that provides entertainment for various corporate
events.
In
addition to the cabaret awards, the City of Sydney, in association
with the Australian Broadcasting Commission, conducted a search for
a Song for Sydney. Of the 18 submitted songs, 5 were chosen for broadcast
and performance during the Showcase phase of the Convention. The winning
song would be performed during the Gala Cabaret finale of the Convention
and the winner would receive a $3000 prize. This was an inspired marketing
ploy to advertise the Cabaret Convention in the media and excite some
grassroots interest in the event.
And
why, you may ask, is it necessary to introduce this element of competition
into a cabaret convention? There are probably many possible answers
to that question, but I believe the primary reason is to provide a
unique and valuable incentive for the encouragement of excellence
in cabaret performance here in Australia. Alternatively, I might also
suggest that the recognition and grading of various winning performers
sets a benchmark of excellence to which other up-and-coming artists
can aspire.
As
even the most casual reader can see, the emphasis on performance clearly
sets our Convention apart from those in the USA. This year the judges
are Julie Wilson, the Convention's special guest, and Brett Sheehy,
Deputy Director and Director Designate 2002-2004 of the Sydney Festival
(an enormous, multi-million dollar arts festival that takes place
in January of each year). Their job will be to select 5 acts to be
considered for the three prizes. Each of those acts will perform in
the Final Gala Evening and the prizes will be awarded at that time.
Having
described some of the details of the Convention, let us consider what
is so different about the cabaret experience in the USA and Australia.
The USA version of cabaret originated in small Parisian clubs and
bars. Initially the entertainment of the poor, it soon became the
focus for artists and wealthy patrons. When the concept was transported
to the USA, it was the pleasure spot of the wealthy, focussed in small
rooms in large American cities. In Australia, on the other hand, cabaret
had different origins. Its origins here were English music hall/variety
shows. This was the Australian version of vaudeville.
This
form of entertainment continues to this day in various licensed clubs
around New South Wales (the state that Sydney is located in), though
now it certainly lacks the glamor and star attractions of its "golden
age" before the advent of television. Early television variety shows
carried on the tradition without much alteration (as in the early
days of US television). This was the entertainment of the working
and middle class Australian. With the demise of televised variety,
the clubs have been the main avenue for young talent to gain experience.
Unfortunately, these venues do not insist on the highest standard
of performance. As a result, the young artists do not develop skills
or material that are noteworthy. Many of the acts from New South Wales
that are being seen at this, and previous, Sydney Cabaret Conventions
represent this unfortunate state of affairs.
The
environment of cabaret, as you might expect, is very different. Here,
a Master of Ceremonies, Glenn Butcher (an actor with considerable
experience in musical comedy) introduces each act, supplying considerable
humor along the way as acts are being set up, in much the same fashion
as his counterpart would have done in old-time English music halls.
There is also more encouragement on the part of performers for audience
interaction than was the case at the San Francisco Cabaret Convention.
The "feel" of the performance space is much more informal, less worshipful,
than is the case in the USA. And what about the talent? What are the
differences there?
The
acts seen on this first night reflected a vast diversity of styles
and levels of experience. Part of this difference was due to the decision
by the organizers to allow as many performers as possible the chance
to work in front of a live audience. Selection was made on the basis
of audition material supplied by the performers. Certainly, an act
created in the relative safety of a recording room may not "travel"
as well in live performance. This was certainly the case with a number
of artists on the first night. In this and subsequent reviews I will
mention the performers who impressed me most, given the uniquely Australian
cabaret experience.
Of
the eleven acts performing in this first showcase, only one performer,
Trevor Ashley, seemed at home as a cabaret artist. His material, "I
Want To Be A Maria" by Ian Jefferson and Beth Daly and the exquisite
"Quiet Love" (Charles Aznavour) comes from his act, but he managed
to make it meaningful as an entity. It is an open question as to whether
his performance will be of sufficient quality to take him to New York
and the Cabaret Convention. What is clear is that Trevor Ashley is
a very skilled performer. He needs to find material that can show
off the subtlety of his art, not the flash.
Two
other acts deserve mention for their potential, if not for the high
quality of their work this evening. Andrew Threlfall gave evidence
of raw talent with his performance of "Tonight At Eight" (by Bock
and Harnick from SHE LOVES ME) and "We Had A Good Thing Going" (by
Sondheim from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG). Even more noteworthy was the
group called "What's New Pussycat" (Melissa Langton, Mark Jones and
Susie French) which made a good impression with two closely harmonized
renditions of 60's popular music. However, their attempt at comedy
needs to be sharper and less repetitious. It would be interesting
to hear this group turn their considerable musicianship to some ballads.
Great voices and energy - needs work
Finally,
I want to single out one very fine young performer, who, with only
two years of performing experience, made a very positive impression
on me and others at the Convention: Cassie Stafford. Cassie Stafford
provided many older performers with a lesson in how to connect with
her audience while performing cabaret. She sang "Goodbye, Emil" (by
Keith Herrmann and Barry Harman from ROMANCE ROMANCE) and "I'm Shy"
(by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer from ONCE UPON A MATTRESS) with
the presence and comic flair of a veteran. It is absolutely essential
that this young and talented artist has the opportunity to sharpen
her already considerable skills. She is the part of the cabaret hope
for the future.
Following
each showcase evening, the Sydney Cabaret Convention features performances
by guest artists who, in the judgment of the organizers, represent
excellence. Once again, the emphasis is on providing role models for
performers and, additionally, educating audiences. On the first evening,
we were richly rewarded with appearances by Todd McKenney and two
notable co-stars, Leonie Page and Julie Wilson.
McKenney
recently completed a two-year run throughout Australia performing
as Peter Allen, in the hit Australian musical, THE BOY FROM OZ. Prior
to that he starred in the Australian production of CRAZY FOR YOU.
McKenney, who has recently started touring nationally with his first
cabaret show, performed an amusing number about his recent rise to
fame in musical comedy, using music from Kander and Ebb's CHICAGO
("Mr. Cellophane" and "Razzle Dazzle"), after which he was joined
by Leonie Page to sing and dance in a Gershwin medley featuring "Fascinatin'
Rhythm" and "I Got Rhythm." McKenney then performed the Peter Allen
ballad "I've Been Taught By Experts" as sung in THE BOY FROM OZ. Finally,
completing this guest spot, Julie Wilson joined McKenney for a stunning
rendition of Peter Allen's "Only An Older Woman" from LEGS DIAMOND
which she had performed in the original show with the composer/lyricist.
While I hold Todd McKenney in very high regard as a performer, I fear
he has been performing as Peter Allen for too long. I longed for a
touch of humanity and gentleness to temper the slickness of his work
in this set.
In
retrospect, what was missing in this first showcase round? How do
many of these performers relate to their audience? Todd McKenney noted
that when he had started to think of developing a cabaret act, he
asked a fellow professional what cabaret was. The definition he was
given was the "it was the kind of performance where the audience leaves
feeling like they've met you and not just watched you." In future
reviews of this convention, I will deal with some of these issues.
Additionally, the performances served to highlight concerns relating
to the ongoing development of future Australian cabaret talent.
The
second evening of the Cabaret Convention promises to be an exciting
one with advance word that some fine talent will be on the bill. In
addition, there will be a special guest appearance from the very talented
and beautiful Jackie Love. Stay tuned to this location.
David
M Schwartz
Day Two of the 2000
Sydney Cabaret Convention
Daily Reports on
the 2000 Sydney Cabaret Convention
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