MOTHER'S RUIN Set for Melbourne Cabaret Fringe & Adelaide Cabaret Festival

Equal parts historical and hysterical, all heaving harmonies and tipsy candour, explore the history of gin through story and song. Stumble and soar through tales of love and women, gin and secrets, as we wind our way through 18th Century London, a few New York speakeasies, the Australian bush and the jungles of Peru, via sailors and barmaids, bootleggers and master distillers.

Mother's Ruin is a joint venture from Sydney production company blackcat productions, gin writer Elly Baxter from The Ginstress, director Anthea Williams and musical director Jeremy Brennan. Together they weave the history of gin with its current renaissance to tell the story of one of the world's favourite spirits.

'Gin has had many lives, it's history in a glass,' says Elly Baxter from The Ginstress. 'In its time it has been the by-word for glamour and ruin, and everything inbetween. It's the perfect lubricant for an evening of rowdy songs, bawdy humour and good old-fashioned storytelling.

'Gin is in the midst of a revolution, in Australia and worldwide. New distilleries and gins are popping up all over the country. The boom in quality and variety has encouraged a 50% increase in gin consumption over the past few years so there are even more gin drinkers out there who might just be cabaret fans too.'

'What I enjoy about performing Mother's Ruin is that we lure people with the promise of gin,' says writer and performer Maeve Marsden. 'But then we change the way they think about gin, and show them how history shapes our perception of everyday things like a simple drink. Why do we associate gin with women? How was the gin & tonic invented? How do political decisions shape our consumption habits or beliefs?'

Two of Australia's rising cabaret stars, Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood, have made their names as half of the hugely popular cabaret act, Lady Sings it Better. Taking the lead in Mother's Ruin they move from misery to vaudeville in a moment, intertwining excess and prohibition, history and (re)invention. With soaring harmonies and creative arrangements, their voices blend perfectly after many years of collaboration.

Musical director Jeremy Brennan is a mainstay of Australian cabaret who has collaborated with Hayden Tee, Bobby Fox, Courtney Act, London punk performance artist David Hoyle, New York cabaret icon Joey Arias and Matthew Mitcham. Director Anthea Williams is Associate Director - Literary at Belvoir, where she has directed many productions including Kill the Messenger and Cinderella. These heavy hitters join forces to bring musical and theatrical brilliance to Mother's Ruin.

Mother's Ruin features music originally performed by Amy Winehouse, Nina Simone, Merle Haggard, Kurt Weil, Jessie J and more, including songs about gin and songs you never knew were about gin until Mother's Ruin got their hands on them.

Mother's Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin will premiere at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival then play Melbourne Cabaret Fringe.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Dates

Adelaide Cabaret Festival

10-12 June 2016

Artspace

Adelaide Festival Centre

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Melbourne Cabaret Fringe

14-19 June 2016

The Butterfly Club

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