Review: THE 2025 VARIETY GALA – ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL 2025 at Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Thursday 5th June 2025.

Celebrating 25 years of this event, The 2025 Variety Gala, directed by Richard Caroll, with Shanon D. Whitelock at the piano, leading the impressive band, as Musical Director, was hosted by the effervescent Artistic Director, Virginia Gay.

Before anything else, though, a ‘welcome to country’ was given by Jack Buckskin, assisted by his daughter, Mahleaha, acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the theatre stands.

Virginia Gay then appeared out of a giant cake and gave the command, in song, to Get This Party Started, with some of the words changed to acknowledge the Cabaret Festival. It was a high-energy start to the event. She then swallowed a glass of sparkling wine in one go, and then accidentally knocked an audience member’s glass of bubbly into his lap when she threw her empty glass into the crowd. You never know what will happen in a cabaret show.

The first half of the evening was quickly underway, leading off with Start Running, a slow introduction progressing into a swinging number that would have fitted well into New Orleans a century ago, from jazz-blues group, Davina and the Vagabonds, from Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Natalie Abbott was next, and she presented a cleverly arranged medley, switching seamlessly to and fro between the early Beatles hit, Help, and Stephen Sondheim’s Being Alive, from her show, Bad Hand. She interpreted both songs superbly.

Tomáš Kantor was next with a fine arrangement of Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra, with a brief humorous comment here and there throughout. I couldn’t even have copied Kantor’s energetic, athletic movements when I was a teenager and, at my age, my arthritic knees ached just watching him. Kantor’s show is titled Sugar. Get yourself a few spoonfuls.

Victoria Falconer entered down the aisle, carrying a violin, which she played with great skill, announcing that, with her, high art met low art. She interacted hilariously with members of the audience, interspersed with a wide range of snippets of music. The violin was swapped for a musical saw, then a piano accordion, roping in a couple of folk to play kazoos with her. Finally, reaching the stage, she briefly played the piano and ended on the Theremin. Her show is in The Parlour. Visit her there.

The first half closed with Song of Freedom, from that international favourite, Rizo, returning to this Festival with her new show, Home, created just for this event. She endeared herself to everybody in the audience by commenting that she was happy to escape the “dumpster fire” that is currently the USA, mentioning “cinnamon Hitler, with his incessant babbling and tiny hands”. How could you not love her?

The second half opened with Feeling Good, sung by those ever-popular sisters, Vika & Linda Bull, from their show, An Evening with Vika & Linda. The cheering and applause left no doubt that they had many fans in the crowd.

There are showgirls, and there is THE Australian showgirl, Carlotta, whose life and career could fill numerous volumes, starting in showbusiness at the age of sixteen, and not letting up for a minute now that she has just turned 82. Carlotta was the star of Les Girls, and the inspiration for the film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Accompanied at the piano by David Griffith, she gave a definitive interpretation of Sondheim’s I’m Still Here, changing the words to tell her own story, a number from her show, Carlotta: The Party’s Over. The audience went wild. Yes, there was a standing ovation.

But wait, there’s more. Before Carlotta could leave the stage, Virginia Gay waylaid her and presented her with the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2025 Icon Award, to even more applause and cheering.

From her show, Average Bear, Michelle Brasier sang the comical song, Young Love in the Summertime (The Fingering Shed), with her life partner, Tim Lancaster, on guitar, and Victoria Falconer on violin, adding to the rest of the band. Her other show this year is Michelle Brasier’s Comedians on Stage Auditioning for Musicals.

David and Lisa Campbell set up the Class of Cabaret project and, from the 2024 group, Noah Byrne reprised his presentation, and a medley of songs, starting with Sondheim’s Anyone Can Whistle, before visiting the ecclesiastical modes on the piano, starting with G Myxolidian, then running through a few more complex chords, going on to explain his struggles and hard work getting to where he is now. He is still only 18, but is already on his way to a career in cabaret. Watch out for more from him. Be sure to catch the stars of tomorrow in the two sessions showcasing the students from the 2025 Class of Cabaret.

Extravagance was front and centre with Seann Miley Moore, in black, and Brendan de la Hay, in white, tearing up the stage with their wonderful That’s Life Medley from their show, Tired Ass Showgirls. They are a great duo.

Jess Hitchcock, aided by Michelle Brasier and Victoria Falconer in the absence of the two singers who will be joining her later, sang Feels Like Home from her show, Trio, a fine tribute to the album of that title featuring Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris.

A round of thanks to people who work in the background led to the finale. The evening closed with the entire ensemble singing a high-powered version of Ain’t Got No, I Got Life, the Nina Simone Song from 1968.

Set Designer, Kathryn Sproul, deserves a mention for her stylish set, and the band also needs to be acknowledged for their excellent work. Well, that’s the sold-out Gala over for another year, but there are plenty of shows to choose from over the next couple of weeks. Get that credit card working.

Photography, Claudio Raschella.

Australia - Adelaide Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BONNIE AND CLYDE (The Arts Theatre)

24.3% of votes

2. COME FROM AWAY (The Arts Theatre)

23.1% of votes

3. BILLY ELLIOT (Northern Light Theatre Company)

17.6% of votes

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