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| Daniel Assetta and Chiara Assetta |
The Q, Queanbeyan, 27th October 2019
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
Cabaret is
the perfect medium for performers to showcase their talents. It allows them to
highlight their strengths and reveal performing skills previously unknown to
audiences through the roles in which they’ve been cast. Too often though, the
opportunity is missed through poor musical choices or the lack of a director
frequently resulting in too many unedited ideas or self-indulgence.
“Siblingship”
is a perfect example of a superbly crafted cabaret, honed to perfection and
performed impeccably by the artists for whom it was created.
From the
time they could walk Daniel Assetta and his little sister, Chiara, knew they
would be entertainers. Daniel the exhibitionist and Chiara his adoring sibling
happy to be in his shadow as long as she was sharing the spotlight as evidenced
by f\delightful snippet from home movies
of their earliest performances captured by their proud parents and relatives.
Even in these charming videos, cleverly edited to preface the show and cover
costume changes, their affection for each other is palpable and their talent
undeniable.
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| Daniel Assetta |
Both are now
assured, highly trained, performers with significant musical theatre careers.
Daniel is currently touring as the alternate Tony in Opera Australia’s current
production of “West Side Story”, after stints in “Wicked”, “The Book of Mormon”
and “Cats”, having won the Rob Guest Endowment Award in 2015.
Chiara,
after appearing on television in “Dance Academy”, “So You Think You Can Dance”,
“The Voice” and “X Factor Australia”, made her professional musical Theatre
debut this year in a different production of “West Side Story”, playing
Teresita in Opera Australia’s, Handa
Opera on Sydney Harbour version.
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| Chiara Assetta |
However
“Siblingship” doesn’t focus on their individual careers, rather, on their time
together growing up. In fact, it is the news that Daniel has been successful in
being cast in the national tour of “Wicked” that becomes the dramatic focal
point of the show, forcing both to face the reality that if they are to achieve
the success for which they’ve both worked so tirelessly, their relationship
must inevitably change.
The show is
beautifully written, brave, thoughtful, endlessly entertaining, and in places,
quite moving, without ever becoming maudlin. The direction is impeccable making
use of a clever lighting plot to focus the action. There’s not a wasted word or
misstep as both performers effortlessly charm their audience, recreating acts
they invented as children, scoring points off each other, and singing and
dancing up a storm.
A medley sequence when they sort through songs
looking for suitable wedding duet to sing at a friend’s wedding is hilarious as
they discover plenty which shouldn’t be sung by siblings. Chiara does a terrific version of Kander and
Ebb’s “I Can’t Do It Alone” as she tries to dissuade Daniel from cutting her
from the act when he decides she’s superfluous. Daniel does an amusing version
of Maury Yeston’s “Be Italian”, mimicking the expected reaction of their parents
to Chiara’s revelation that her new boyfriend is not Italian, and Drew
Gasparini’s, “A Little Bit Gay” for a revelation of his own.
Not all the
songs are from musicals however, and much of the success of the show is due to
the clever choice of songs which allow the performers to express feelings more
affectingly than they could with dialogue to advance their story. Many have been re-invented in lovely musical
arrangements by Musical Director, Nicholas Griffin, who, together with musicians,
Yianni Adams (guitar, Konrad Ball (Bass) and Charlie Kurthi (Drums) provides
the classy accompaniment throughout.
The lyrics
of Dianne Warren’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”, usually associated with Cher,
but here, sung sensitively by Daniel, as a soulful expression of his regret for
a thoughtless taunt, are revealed as thoughtful meditations. Similarly Chiara’s
lovely treatment of “Out Here on My Own”, written by Lesley and Michael Gore
for the film “Fame”, reveals her hesitation at facing her own destiny.
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| Daniel Assetta and Chiara Assetta in "SIBLINGSHIP" |
Both triple
threat performers are equally at home singing close harmonies, dancing up a
storm, and delivering dialogue, either dramatic or comedic, with equal
conviction. However they’ve also had the professional savvy to collaborate with
a clever writer in Tobias Madden, two imaginative and experienced directors in
Scott Irwin and Danielle Barnes, and a top-class musical director and arranger
in Nicholas Griffin. The result is one of the classiest cabaret acts currently
touring celebrating a rare and very special relationship. Certainly one not to
be missed if you get the opportunity to see it.
This review also appears in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
