4th Annual Sydney Cabaret Convention
Third Night - Thursday, June 29, 2000
Sydney Town Hall: Sydney, Australia

Last night, I reflected upon the problems of avoiding various pitfalls in performance. Of tonight's 11 acts, seven seemed to flounder on the shoals of such performance problems. Instead, I would like to reflect on the difficulty that artists seem to have in choosing the right material to create an act that makes some sort of statement. What governs this choice process for finding songs in the first place?

Often performers seem to select songs they particularly like or that have "worked" on another occasion. Unfortunately, neither of these approaches is particularly conducive to good cabaret. Somehow or other, the combination of materials must create a unique statement that has impact for the listener. As I mentioned in yesterday's review, Andrea Marcovicci suggests it is the "chemistry" derived from this very process of putting two or three songs together that moves people emotionally. This evening there were only two acts that managed to create this sort of magic: WIT and Craig Schneider. Surprisingly, both of them used the difficult vehicle of comedy to achieve this end.

Before considering the successes, let us look at the near-misses. Two artists (Leigh Archer and Jeremiah Tickell) managed to connect with and perform one song well, but were unable to match it up with another to build a satisfactory structure. Leigh Archer opened with a clever pairing of Coleman and Zippel's "You Can Always Count On Me" from CITY OF ANGELS and Coleman and Field's "Nobody Does It Like Me" from SEESAW, but followed it with an indifferent ballad about flying that did not seem to connect in theme or mood to the first pairing. Jeremiah Tickell, on the other hand, opened flatly with MacDermott, Ragni and Rado's "I Got Life" from HAIR. Almost without transition, he spoke of the pain of lost relationships and launched into a haunting performance of Cole Porter's "Begin The Beguine." Tickell's introduction was so compelling that I was forced to listen to this familiar song in a totally new light. This was fine cabaret that misfired because of the singer's weak choice of a suitable opening song to prepare his audience for the emotional richness of the Porter song.

And what about the good news? Well, there were two very successful acts: Craig Schneider and WIT. Schneider, the Melbourne-based pianist/vocalist who appeared in last year's Cabaret Convention, has an impressive technique, but I previously felt he was just a bit too "cool," too emotionally remote and disconnected to be totally winning. This year, however, after a gentle, yet reserved, opening song, "My Foolish Heart" (by Young and Washington), he "let down his hair" with a very amusing performance of "Ugly Woman" by Hubert R Charles. This flair for comedy, delivered with a deliciously wry sense of timing, introduced a new element of warmth to his act and earned Schneider a big ovation. In terms of an interesting structure, this set was commendable because Craig managed to create an integrated program that put together two songs representing the duality of the male ego, the vulnerable and the crass. High marks all around! Craig Schneider has certainly moved forward as a cabaret artist since his last appearance here.

WIT (an acronym for "Women in Theatre") was the other act that made this evening such a pleasure. The women in question are Janice Burns and Elizabeth Ross who perform with an assist from their non-singing partner, "Barry," a cello. These two women have managed to refine what previously was an amusing and whimsical presentation into one of highly sophisticated humor. The comedy, somewhat reminiscent of Laurel and Hardy and the Three Stooges, is derived from the dry verbal interplay of the two women, as well as the large height difference of the pair. Much of the originality of this performance derives from the way that music and comedy are fused. This evening, the music they performed ("I Love A Cello," paraphrased from Berlin; Duke Ellington and Bob Russell's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"; and "It Don't Matter 'Bout Your Size") emerged seamlessly from the humor that WIT had set up with their verbal banter. Making a statement about the need to pull together in spite of apparent differences in size and approach, this pair were totally successful. The gamin-like charm and bubbling energy of these women made them absolutely irresistible. WIT is truly an original creation, based on the larrikin style of humor that is typically Australian.

The special guest act for this evening was Combo Fiasco, whose members are Tony McGill, Shaun Murphy and Charmaine Clements (who replaced Sharon Millerchip in mid-1999). They have performed at most of the Australian cabaret venues (major and minor), as well as a number of corporate functions. Originally formed in 1993 for a "one night only" benefit, this group has maintained its popularity. In 1998, Combo Fiasco burst onto the New York cabaret scene where they played to packed houses and received rave reviews, culminating in a performance on the NBC Today Show. Later that year Combo Fiasco had the honor of becoming the first vocal group to be invited to open the New York Cabaret Convention; they followed this triumphant performance with shows in Manhattan, Washington DC and Miami. They are planning to return to the United States in November, 2000 after the launch of their second CD. The ongoing popularity of this group is based on their unique performance style, a rare blend of comedy and sophisticated, close-harmony arrangements of music-theater songs.

This evening, Combo Fiasco performed six songs, starting off with an arrangement of Irving Berlin's "Let Yourself Go" that was so elegant you could almost see Fred Astaire dancing on stage as they sang. They followed this with a rousing version of Bernstein's "New York, New York" (from ON THE TOWN) and "Beware Of The Anger Of Soft-Spoken Men," a piece written for the group by the American cabaret composer Steven Lutvak. Combo Fiasco's next number was the emotional high point of their performance: a medley consisting of Sondheim's "Children Will Listen" (from INTO THE WOODS) and the powerful, though lesser-known, song "One Tin Soldier" by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. They finished the set with one of their signature arrangements and a sure-fire crowd pleaser, "Rhythm of Life" (by Coleman and Leigh from SWEET CHARITY). Due to the very warm response, they returned to perform another of their specialities, a medley of hits written by the great Thomas "Fats" Waller. It was really a pleasure to see the special sophistication Charmaine Clements brings to the chemistry of the group and to marvel at the group's wit, charm and playfulness. But over and above the elegance of their performance, I once again was struck by the superb musicianship of this group. If tonight is a sample of the group's current form, they should meet with great success in the USA.

Tomorrow night's special guest star was to have been Tim Draxl, but this up-and-coming young performer is currently recording his second CD in the USA. Ordinarily such a change would be cause for moaning and gnashing of teeth, but the replacement is David Campbell, hitherto considered the Australian prince of cabaret. It will be interesting to see if his performance will reflect reports of his decision to move away from cabaret and pursue a pop music career.

And what was my impression of the evening? In looking at tonight's talent, I have concentrated on selection of material, rather than highlighting performance pitfalls. It appears that a great many performers whom I have heard during the past three nights have a limited knowledge of the vast amount of material available to create a viable performance. With so much to select from, why has there been so little ingenuity on display?

There is certainly no lack of talent here at the Cabaret Convention. However, the task of putting together a sequence of songs that will connect to the audience "where they live" seems to elude many. Tomorrow will be my last chance to see how well these young performers manage to navigate the tricky rapids and treacherous currents of cabaret performance.

David M Schwartz

Day Four of the 2000 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Daily Reports on the 2000 Sydney Cabaret Convention

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