Volcanic Ash crisis affects Adelaide Cabaret Festival

There have been disruptions to travel Australia-wide this week, after the recent eruption of Puyehue volcano, near Osorno in southern Chile on June 5, but the Adelaide Cabaret Festival is powering on.

Airports across the country have been closed, and many flights cancelled, affecting thousands of Australian and international travellers – some of whom were on their way to both perform and spectate at the Adelaide Cabaret festival.

The massive cloud of volcanic ash has caused some show cancelations, including Paul Capsis’ Wednesday night performance. But Associate Producer of the Festival, Lisa Campbell told AussieTheatre.com that the ash has certainly not stopped everyone:

“We have had an amazing weekend and are now trying to get everyone here through the ash! We have a few artists that have been delayed. And troupers like Gillian Cosgriff, Dean Bryant and Matthew Frank are driving [from Melbourne]”

Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director David Campbell says, “The opening weekend of the Festival was an absolute blast, the Variety Gala was enjoyed by all and headliner Olivia Newton-John wowed audiences with her knock-out vocals and demonstrated why she is one of the world’s most celebrated performers. “We are thrilled to announce that at the start of the Cabaret Festival’s second week we have reached 90% of the Festival box office target and are 7% up on where we were at the same time last year.”

Highlights heading into the second week of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival include leading lady and legendary Broadway star Chita Rivera, along with the next big thing in musical comedy, Gillian Cosgriff (driving in from Melbourne!) in Waitressing, and Other Things I Do Well, where she performs incredible self-penned songs that won her the Julie Michael Award for Musical Cabaret and the Showcase Award at the Annual Sydney Cabaret Showcase.

Local Adelaide boy Michael Griffiths gets into the groove as he performs In Vogue: Songs by Madonna the ultimate material girl. Leah Flanagan will regale with tales from after dark in Midnight Muses: It Begins to Tell. And check out the musical influences of a master with Paul Capsis in Make Me A King, Paul’s personal homage to his musical heroes and influences, exploring the rich legacy of his favourite 20th century torch songs.

See Mark Vincent, who rose to stardom from winning the third series of Australia’s Got Talent, perform his first ever solo showDiciassette (17). Tim Draxl will perform a stunning tribute to the ‘James Dean of Jazz’ in Freeway – The Chet Baker Journey.

On the free list, come and see the odd couple of live chat Mikey Robins and Margarita Pracatan (of Clive James Live fame) perform live in the Piano Bar, where Mikey will interview Cabaret Festival artists and Margarita will be singing and playing as only she can. Don’t forget while at the Centre to take in some of the stunning memorabilia in the Peter Allen Exhibition by the Performing Arts Collection in the Festival Theatre foyer.

For those that like to party, Grammy-winning, chart-topping superstar Leo Sayer delivers all of his greatest hits in The Show Must Go On, and the USA’s Tuba Skinny, an authentic mix of traditional jazz and old blues from the 1920s and ‘30s will be rockin’ the Banquet room in their late night performances.

Lastly, don’t miss High School Cabaret, an initiative introduced last year by Artistic Director David Campbell.

Supported by the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Education Program (centrED), this project aims to cultivate and encourage the next generation of cabaret artists.

Students from Pembroke School and Blackwook High School have been mentored by David Campbell, in addition to Musical Director Matthew Carey, to produce a series of stunning cabaret performances. The students will take you on a rollercoaster of emotion and give a glimpse into the cabaret stars of tomorrow.

Campbell says, “The Cabaret Festival is hotting up so don’t miss the second week of the Festival, the variety on offer in the second week is as big as the first and there are plenty of good seats still available.”

Full program details are available www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com.au

 

Tickets are on sale through BASS 131 246