Review: CABARET FESTIVAL 2017: POUND IT - BRIDGET EVERETT at Dunstan Playhouse

Reviewed by Fiona Talbot-Leigh, Friday 9th June 2017

If you want bold, brassy, sexy, provocative, riotous and funny, complete with magnificent vocals, then a night with Bridgett Everett is just what you need. She has brought her new show, Pound It, to Adelaide to be a part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Not a minute was wasted and, leaving no time for subtle introductions, Everett blasted out onto the stage to rapturous applause and, with full voice and force, she let us know exactly who she was and what we were in for.

Bridget Everett is from Manhatten and has been named one of the funniest people in New York. Her stand-up, theatre, and film credits are far too long to list here but include, Inside Amy Schumer, Two Broke Girls, Sex and The City (the movie), The New York Comedy Festival, and The Montreal and Chicago's Just for Laughs Festival.

From the second she opened her mouth until the end of the show, Everett had the audience in stitches and they loved every minute spent with her, especially those moments where she stepped off the stage, the house lights came up and she roved around looking for audience members to play with. Her ability to improvise on the spot and turn it to her advantage just has to be seen to be believed. Nothing is off limits and many an audience member went home after being very well acquainted with Everett's considerable breasts which, quite frankly, refused to be restrained throughout the show as she went about, strutting her stuff.

Everett has no filter, no awareness of private space and is so incredibly comfortable in her own skin which during the evening we saw quite a lot of as she never left the stage during her performance, choosing instead to strip down and change in front of us all. This included in front of her very talented band that supported her wonderfully throughout the night, as well as being treated to an education as to what a 'Real Woman' looks like. Throughout the evening we were regaled with weird and wonderful tales as well as some token advice as to the three most important things in life that her mother taught her, which were, living large, loving large, and Barry Manilow.

Thankfully, Everett took this advice to heart for, as well as being treated to this most incredible stand-up comedian, her voice was a knockout. As a singer, Everett is a power house vocalist whose ability to go from big rock anthems to ballads is undeniably sublime.

Everett has the voice of an angel, the strength of a sumo wrestler, she swears like a trooper, and she'll sit on your face. All of this, and more, makes for one very entertaining show.

She is a master of her craft, has come halfway around the world to be part of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and, if the audience's reactions were anything to go by, I think she will be back again.

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