Roll up Roll up, get your Human Resources-related laughs here…
photo courtesy Project Management
At the end of long day at the office and drenched from yet another Melbourne downpour, I found myself entering a dark and unassuming entrance at the end of a laneway in the heart of the CBD. I was not in the best spirits and was unprepared for the positive transformation of my otherwise dreary Tuesday night. The soft lighting and sound of laughter filled the stair well and a warm glow passed though me, welcoming me into the bosom of the jovial and quirky home of burgeoning talent, The Butterfly Club. I was here to enjoy ‘Performance Management’, a new cabaret performance (showing until 24 May) which will tickle you silly.
A one-man show on a small stage with only one outfit change and a desk for company must be a challenge, but Mr. Hollingsworth is a wonderful host. We were treated to some classic cabaret oldies like Chicago’s “He Had it Comin,'” documenting the decisions of management in relation to categories of difficult-to-manage staff like the time-waster, the malinger, and the aggressive employee. Another number covers a troubled manager who learns to “Let it Go” when he’s been working all night in line with Idina Menzel’s epically popular track from Disney’s Frozen. My particular favourite was a brilliant piece, woven into the lyrics of A Little Mermaid, about the individual who sounds like the perfect employee in interview and is just dying to become “Part of that World” — only to show their true colours once they’ve been hired.
Even if you don’t work in HR, your sides will be splitting in recognition of your colleagues through the clever characterisations. And at just under an hour for the show, you’ll still have time to enjoy a drink in the bar while planning your next visit to The Butterfly Club.
– Jane
Jane Pendry is borderline obsessive about good food. Originally Scottish, she lived in London before leaving her job as a lawyer to pursue her passions for food, travel and writing. She can usually be found scouring Melbourne for top new eateries or sipping a long black while writing about career change and her own foodie adventures on her blog www.thelunchboxdiary.com. Follow Jane @lunch_box_diary.
‘Performance Management – in Cabaret’ runs 19-24 May at The Butterfly Club.
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