Cabaret Whore Review

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Rating (out of 5)
4
Show info
Company
Sarah-Louise Young / Laughing Horse Free Festival
Production
Sarah-Louise Young (writer), Michael Roulston and Richard Link (musical arrangements)
Performers
Sarah-Louise Young
Running time
55mins

On the tiny "stage" in the corner of the bar three characters are going to tell you about their lives and what led them to be cabaret whores.

First up is Sammy Mavis Jnr, who has escaped the trailer park to become a working girl and porn star.  Country and Western numbers include a list of euphemisms for her early sexual experiences delivered with wide-eyed innocence that has the audience hooting with laughter.

A lightning fast change has the crowd wondering whether Loretta the librarian is the same performer. She tells of leaving her sanctuary of books to compete in Cabaret Idol and become "the voice of middle-class Britain". She even has an unlikely charity single ready.

Our French diva is the Frumpy Pigeon to her hated Piaf's Little Sparrow who feels that cabaret is nothing without pain.  Songs include a complaint of the sabotage of the French language - we gave you lingerie you gave us flip-flop.

An experienced cabaret and stage performer with a great voice, Sarah-Louise puts in a polished performance of 11 new songs.  She really inhabits each of her comedy characters and, as they say on TV talent shows "makes the songs her own". That the show slows a little after a blistering opening is a minor criticism.

Strangely for a show that has a dark little heart (and basically says the world is shit), you still come away with smiling.  You may also gain some new slang terms for sex.

The show is free but with a "retiring collection" - don't pass the bucket.

Times: 6-16, 18-23, 25-30 August, 6.15pm.