Fringe review: Another Night at the Musicals
Adelaide Fringe
If you simply love musicals, live and breathe big productions, secured your Book of Mormon tickets two years ago and find yourself humming refrains from Les Mis as you work, Another Night at the Musicals isn’t for you. Seriously. ★★★★
While everyone around you is gagging with laughter at drag queens Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo belting their way through the musical standards, the musical aficionado will wish they had Dorothy’s ruby slippers.
But if you belong to the population who secretly wish there wasn’t something about Maria or that Grizabella suffered mange, head to The Box at the Garden of Unearthly Delights to catch this duo at 8.15 most evenings for the rest of the Adelaide Fringe.
Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo are Fringe favourites and a perfect way to warm up for a night of shows. Their hour-long performance is fast and furious, and the audience knows they’re in for a treat when Le Gateau Chocolat starts in on a rendition of Liza Minnelli’s “All That Jazz” in a deep jazz baritone.
The pair are outrageous without being crude and their obvious love of the stage (and even musicals?) shows through as they self-proclaimedly “butcher” favourite show tunes with their own lyrics and styling. You’ll never be able to think of the Littlest Mermaid the same way again… which is probably a good thing.
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Both performers are gifted singers, and Jonny Woo smashes classic drag queen lipsyncing while sending up Barbra Streisand, but it’s the wit between the songs that keeps the show fresh. That, and the fact that they get the packed house on their feet dancing and singing along to Grease and, of course, the Rocky Horror Show.
Go armed with your favourite musical in mind in case they ask for requests, but I shudder to think what they’d do to Matilda.
Another Night at the Musicals is playing in The Box at the Garden of Unearthly Delights until March 3. See more Adelaide Fringe reviews and stories here.
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