Review: ADELAIDE FRINGE 2016: TORTE E MORT - SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH Is Another Winner For Anya Anastasia

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Wednesday 17th February 2016

This sensational new show, Torte e Mort: Songs of Cake and Death, begins with Adelaide's own Anya Anastasia, as the infamous Marie Antoinette, post-execution, looking back on her life and her ultimate encounter with Madame Guillotine. Even on a Wednesday evening, Anya Anastasia can pull in a good crowd, and a very enthusiastic group they were, too. The show and all of the songs were written and composed by Anya Anastasia.

She is a favourite with people who like their cabaret a little on the dark side, relevant to today, witty, and delivered in her original songs that show a great talent in composition, as well as exposing her considerable ability on the piano. This is not an evening of songs with a basic accompaniment, all in 4/4 time with a possible 3/4 thrown in. This is quality work with changing tempi, and time signatures such as 7/8 being employed.

It doesn't stop there, either, as she is accompanied by the extremely skilled percussionist, Bec Matthews, who works with Circus OZ and Yana Alana. A drum kit is complemented by such items as glockenspiel temple blocks and, good heavens, a musical saw. Matthews also adds backing vocals, shadow puppetry, and takes over the stage in the role of the hooded executioner whenever Anya Anastasia needs a short time to negotiate a costume change.

Over the course of the show Marie Antoinette changes guise, appearing first as herself as a ghost, dressed as was in full period costume and wig, telling us that I Don't Do Burlesque, whilst turning her back on the audience to then bend over backwards, playing the piano the entire time, while removing items of clothing. She then transitions to her skeleton, to a feisty young devil, to a talking, and singing head who laments in song, I've Got Nobody/No body. As we see the Queen's attitude to the citizens revealed, the disdain, the lack of care, the "let them eat cake" approach, and the numerous puns, she draws the parallels unmistakably with a government not too far away. The biting satire is strong in this one.

Joy Sparkes is a silent, poker-faced assistant, although it is difficult to see how she manages to keep a straight face with all that is going on. She does all of the fetching and carrying, offering a powerful juxtaposition to the extravagances of the Queen. She also adds vocal harmonies and occasionally adds a little to the choreography, but still representing the peasantry. This is a very clever touch by the two directors, "Helpmann and multi- Green Room award-winning performer Sarah Ward (Yana Alana), and devisor of circus, Sue Broadway".

There is so much happening in this production that it has to be experienced first hand so, have your cake and eat it too in the Ukiyo venue in the Royal Croquet Club site before this marvellously irreverent performance closes on Sunday. If you have not seen this remarkable performer before, you are destined to become a fan of Anya Anastasia.

Here is a short section taken from a live performance.

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