Alice Tovey should own the letter ‘S’. She needs to make a deal with Sesame Street because she is sassy, smart, sultry, and she has razor sharp wit. Catch her show, ‘Personal Messiah‘, while you can at the Melbourne Cabaret Festival at The Space Dance & Art Centre in Prahan. The venue was a little difficult to find, so make sure that you budget extra travel time.
The show was fantastic! Cabaret superstar Tovey performs musical comedy of the highest caliber. Accompanied by the four-piece band, The Apostles, together they rocked the house. Tovey had audience members hanging on the edge of their seats. We were putty in her hands and we knew it. We laughed when she wanted us to laugh; we gasped when she wanted to shock us. She’s definitely the big spoon in the relationship.
The venue was intimate and had dramatic atmosphere thanks to the excellent music and lighting.
Tovey has an incredible voice. She can belt it out like Aretha and at a drop of a hat she can sing a delicate soft tune. Equally as impressive as Tovey’s vocal range was the variety of topics she chose to sing about: feminism, politics, pop culture, body image, outer space, and love. Nothing was off bounds. I was greatly impressed with the intelligent and creative lyrics she delivered in each of her songs.
My favourite part of the performance was a beat poem about Beyoncé and feminism based on a conversation that Tovey had with a mate in a coffee shop. The chorus line repeated, ‘what do you have to Beyoncé about that?’
Tovey’s performance wowed both seasoned cabaret aficionados and novices alike. We were completely mesmerised and left wanting more. Mark your calendars now. ‘Personal Messiah’ is a total must see show.
– Vanessa
Vanessa is recent Melbourne transplant from California, diehard Harry Potter fan, foodie, and a convert to cabaret.
‘Personal Messiah‘ runs 21 & 22 June 2016 at The Space Dance and Arts Centre, (318 Chapel St. (enter via Carlton St), Prahran). Book tickets now.
The venue not wheelchair accessible.
Read our guide to the best acts of the 2016 Melbourne Cabaret Festival.
