Bronya’s Variety Hour with Julia Zemiro.
World Premiere. Adelaide exclusive. The 11 o’clock Number The Famous Spiegeltent.Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Adelaide Festival Centre June 13-15 2019.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
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| Bronja, Chauntese Rose and Yana Alana in Bronja's Variety Hour |
It’s a triple treat at the Famous Spiegeltent, when
Bronya, the Siren of Sarajevo,joins with the Sophie Tucker of Cabaret, Yana
Alana and Chanteuse Rose, the singer who can shatter crystal with a single
note’ to bring late night revelers an alcohol infused variety hour.of spontaneity
and fun.
This is the
cabaret of a broken world, battered and bruised by Brexit, broken relationships( If
I should stay I would only be in your
way) and bad, bad weather (Thunder only happens when it’s raining).
It’s anarchic. It’s rough and rude
(Musical director Mark Scott gets risqué and downright crude with the
Dildo song). It’s angry with Yana Alana’s The day
I met you is the day I bought a knife!” In true cabaret tradition, sex and
politics swing along under the Spiegeltent chandelier. Bronya (Julia Zemiro)
plays the svelte host – casual and East
European cool in contrast to the volcanic Yana Alana (Sarah Ward).Here is
a performer ready to take the cabaret
world by storm. What the slight
Chanteuse Rose (Mikaela Burger) may lack in size she sure makes up in stature with a voice to
swamp the space with her song.
Bronya is the
hostess with the mostest- a pillar of Slavonic poise. Zemiro warms to the role
although I felt that a busy festival schedule may have impinged on rehearsal
for a performer who had not revived her alter ego for a while. Playing cabaret
role and host can be difficult and tomorrow night should see the balance right.
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| Kaye Tuckerman |
Gunhild Carling
knows how to kick arse a la swing. In a flapper outfit with tassles swaying,
Carling and her musicians let loose on the Spiegeltent stage. She puts her lips
to the trombone and lets blast with a jazz sound while swinging her body into a
frenzied tap. With the energy of a young Ginger Rogers and the abandon of a
possessed Josephine Baker, Carning is sheer octane. Sweden’s Queen of Swing and
her five piece band is an act to have you swinging along to the sound of the
Thirties
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| Gunhild Carling |
In a chorus of
unity, Bronya, Yana Alana with Frack Off emblazoned
across her front and Chanteuse Rose join together with I Will Always Love You , inviting the crowd to “be a joiner” in
their cry for power to the people. And all power to Bronya’s Variety Hour.
There’s more to life than Brexit and Bronya’s back to bring power back to the
people - and fabulous guests to her quirky cabaret
