The Melbourne Cabaret Festival is returning this June for its eighth iteration (20 June-2 July 2017). After a stellar event last year, it has truly become one of the city’s major winter art events and a TPO favourite. It’s two weeks of seductive, soul-stirring entertainment featuring original local talent and a curated pick of critically acclaimed international acts.
Chapel Off Chapel is once again the festival hub, while The Butterfly Club picks up from the main program hosting CBD counterpart Melbourne Cabaret Fringe Festival (4-16 July 2017) in the following two weeks.
Australia’s Boys of Motown
Top picks of Melbourne Cabaret Festival (20 June-2 July 2017)
Ginger and Tonic For Love of Money: Four women acapella groups bring killer harmonies, sass, charm, comedy and cheek. Winner of Green Room Award for Best Musical Direction.
You’re My World: – The Cilla Black Story: a biographical cabaret full of powerhouse vocals and self-deprecating humour of one of the UK’s most beloved performers.
Australia’s Boys of Motown: A modern twist on soul-pop, bringing a blend of original, covers and remakes of Motown. Sing along to the music of Jackson 5, The Temptations, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons to Bruno Mars.
Woman: Four famous stereotypical princesses find themselves alone without their princes, and therefore without the stories that define them. A cabaret-musical about the impact stories can have on our lives.
Tragedy! A New Comedy
Top picks of Melbourne Cabaret Fringe Festival (4-16 July 2017)
Raising ‘Ell!: Imagine Dante’s journey into the Inferno, but set in 2017. The 7 deadly sins are replaced by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Tinder, Grindr and Youtube and Dante is played by a cacophonous collection of four singers, a saxophone, violin and a piano.
Finding Felix: A satirical memoir that touches on all of the true pressing matters we often face on our road to self-discovery – including football, red heads, kidnapping and love.
Tragedy! (a new comedy): Pokes fun at a world of smartphones and narcissists and everyone’s desire to have their fifteen minutes of fame. Greek tragedies, pop culture and original chorus collide in this intriguing work of pop-art cabaret.
BandAnna Photography
An incubator for the artform, the Melbourne Cabaret Festival pushes boundaries and defines Melbourne’s take on cabaret: productions that take risk, make social commentary, play with format, and run for under an hour. Great for making a night of it, watching a couple of back to back titillating shows, cocktails in hand.
– Christian G.
Christian is an international man of mystery; lover of books, cats and the performing arts; moonlighting as a finance professional by day.
The Melbourne Cabaret Festival runs 20 June–2 July 2017. Buy tickets now.
Also visit the Cabaret Fringe website (4-16 July 2017) for more great shows.
