BWW Reviews: GUILTY PLEASURES is a deliciously dark cabaret of mitigated murder.

Wednesday 17 December 2014, Hayes Theatre, Potts Point.

Blue Saint Production's GUILTY PLEASURES, is a one woman performance, telling the murderous stories of 5 women, bought to life with a wonderful intensity by Angelique Cassimatis. Written by Josh Robson (Winner, 2014 Rob Guest Endowment Award) with music by Robert Tripolino and Lyrics by Hugo Chiarella, the 1 hour cabaret explores how 5 women justify murder as they are consumed by emotions and desperate situations.

The audience is greeted by the sound of the 4 piece band (Lucy Bermingham (Piano/Musical Director), Nick Ujhazy (Guitar), Winston Weng (Bass), Tom Doublier (Drums)) performing Irving Berlin's Blue Sky which helps to draw the audience into a different time without letting on to the dark stories that will follow. Peter Amesbury's lighting serves to increase the drama and also assist in dividing the small stage when necessary. Simple 1950's styling for the costuming and old suitcases let the audience know that the stories are from another era.

Cassimatis takes on the personas of the women from different circumstances and different cities across America including a Southern country housewife, a young Russian sex slave and a Jewish New Yorker through her voice and her mannerisms. The stories have a balanced blend of original music and monologue ensuring that the stories are individual but are woven together through dance and rearrangement of the suitcases and furniture on stage.

With similarities to CHICAGO's He Had It Coming, the GUILTY PLEASURES women all justify their actions but there is no discussion of the repercussions, just the accounts and the mitigation of the murders. The stories are also told with the expression of desperation and passionate emotion rather than bare anger and hatred. The use of 5 separate stories allows for more variety in the music and the delivery and shows off Cassimatis' range. The work includes elements of humour in the clever lyrics and the physical interpretation of the stories. Whilst some of the plots may appear predictable at the start, Robson has written in interesting twists providing a macabre comedy to the situations.

GUILTY PLEASURES is an interesting look at what happens when driven by despair, love, jealousy, obsession and fear and whilst most people are not driven to the measures that play out on stage (hopefully), many can relate and understand thereby connecting to the audience and engaging them. It has a good mix of humour, dance, song and story whilst examining human behaviour, providing an entertaining performance well worth seeing.

GUILTY PLEASURES

Hayes Theatre

19 Greenknowe Ave,

Potts Point NSW 2011

December 17 - 21 2014

Photo: Mike Snow