Picture Perfect

Festivals

Monday June 16, 2014 Comments

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Picture Perfect is a musical of songs that expose the reality of our love lives.

Not the romantic, everything-is-amazing, I’m-so-blissed-out, finally complete and soooo in love side of things, but the other side – when the illusion falls away and we see the truth of our not-so-perfect relationships (“No one’s perfect. What did you expect?”).

Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, New York composer Scott Evan Davis’s song cycle is a reflective work that encourages you to look at the cracks of your own relationship or might inspire you to hold tight to an illusion that hasn’t cracked … yet.

Five vocalists – David Harris, Johanna Allen, Amity Dry, Naomi Eyers, and Paul Talbot – were accompanied by a pianist and cello player in this vibrant performance at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Banquet Room.

While a continuous song cycle without dialogue may be too much for some, the performers were bold, powerful and remarkable. Singing as a group or in solo performances, they told the story that every moment is a unique snapshot of our lives that can change from one instant to the next, while exploring the moments of imperfection after the picture is taken of a “perfect family” portrait.

The piece asks why humans never get what we want and why nothing is as perfect as we’d assumed it to be? While exploring what binds and breaks us (and the vices we use to ignore it all), this is a celebration of our brokenness with a hint of hilarity (“Don’t lose hope, just learn to cope”).

Ultimately, the message was basic and not particularly illuminating, but the delivery was strong, impressive, sincere, heartfelt, emotional and completely relatable.

Picture Perfect’s Banquet Room season is now finished. The Adelaide Cabaret Festival continues until June 21.

For more stories and reviews, see InDaily’s 2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival hub.

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<h1>Picture Perfect</h1>

<address><a href="https://inreview.com.au/contributors/sandra-cook/" class="author">Sandra Cook</a></address>
											
							<p><em>Picture Perfect</em> is a musical of songs that expose the reality of our love lives.</p>
<p>Not the romantic, everything-is-amazing, I’m-so-blissed-out, finally complete and soooo in love side of things, but the other side – when the illusion falls away and we see the truth of our not-so-perfect relationships (“No one’s perfect. What did you expect?”).</p>
<p>Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, New York composer Scott Evan Davis’s song cycle is a reflective work that encourages you to look at the cracks of your own relationship or might inspire you to hold tight to an illusion that hasn’t cracked … yet.</p>
<p>Five vocalists – David Harris, Johanna Allen, Amity Dry, Naomi Eyers, and Paul Talbot – were accompanied by a pianist and cello player in this vibrant performance at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Banquet Room.</p>
<p>While a continuous song cycle without dialogue may be too much for some, the performers were bold, powerful and remarkable. Singing as a group or in solo performances, they told the story that every moment is a unique snapshot of our lives that can change from one instant to the next, while exploring the moments of imperfection after the picture is taken of a “perfect family” portrait.</p>
<p>The piece asks why humans never get what we want and why nothing is as perfect as we’d assumed it to be? While exploring what binds and breaks us (and the vices we use to ignore it all), this is a celebration of our brokenness with a hint of hilarity (“Don’t lose hope, just learn to cope”).</p>
<p>Ultimately, the message was basic and not particularly illuminating, but the delivery was strong, impressive, sincere, heartfelt, emotional and completely relatable.</p>
<p><em>Picture Perfect’s Banquet Room season is now finished. The Adelaide Cabaret Festival continues until June 21.</em></p>
<h5 style="text-align: center;"><a href="#for-more-stories-and-reviews-see-indailys-2014-adelaide-cabaret-festival-hub" aria-hidden="true" class="aal_anchor" id="for-more-stories-and-reviews-see-indailys-2014-adelaide-cabaret-festival-hub"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="aal_svg" height="16" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 16 16" width="16"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M4 9h1v1H4c-1.5 0-3-1.69-3-3.5S2.55 3 4 3h4c1.45 0 3 1.69 3 3.5 0 1.41-.91 2.72-2 3.25V8.59c.58-.45 1-1.27 1-2.09C10 5.22 8.98 4 8 4H4c-.98 0-2 1.22-2 2.5S3 9 4 9zm9-3h-1v1h1c1 0 2 1.22 2 2.5S13.98 12 13 12H9c-.98 0-2-1.22-2-2.5 0-.83.42-1.64 1-2.09V6.25c-1.09.53-2 1.84-2 3.25C6 11.31 7.55 13 9 13h4c1.45 0 3-1.69 3-3.5S14.5 6 13 6z"></path></svg></a><strong>For more stories and reviews, see InDaily’s <a href="http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/2014/06/03/2014-adelaide-cabaret-festival/">2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival hub</a>.</strong></h5>
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