Review: Kiki Ball-Change Welcomes Us to Hell at The Laurie Beechman

On October 27, 2025, Kiki Ball-Change took over the Laurie Beechman with a concept so ridiculous it became brilliant. The evening was structured around the nine circles of hell from Dante’s Inferno, but filtered through Kiki’s sense of humor, vocal chops, queer irreverence, and total command of the room. It was the kind of show where you walk in expecting camp and walk out realizing you saw real artistry woven into the chaos.

The show kicked off with “Welcome to the Hot Hole,” Kiki’s spin on Welcome to the Jungle. It was the exact kind of opener you want for a show like this. Loud, cheeky, high energy, and immediately setting the tone that this journey through hell was going to be more fun than frightening. Kiki strutted through the room with total confidence, pulling the audience into the story and making it clear that we were all sinners together.

One of the strongest moments of the first half came with “If I Was a Rich Girl” by Gwen Stefani, delivered with a mix of pure comedy and vocal precision. Kiki played into the theme of greed with smart timing and killer lyric changes that had the crowd cracking up. It was the kind of performance that reminds you that cabaret is at its best when the artist is at ease, having fun, and letting the audience in on the joke.

Wrath followed shortly after with a fiery take on “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette. This number hit differently. Kiki leaned into the anger and frustration in the lyrics while still keeping it firmly in the aesthetic of the night. It gave the show its emotional punch. The vocals were sharp, the attitude was real, and the room lit up with people cheering her on.

Two of the hardest rings to match to songs were Fraud and Treachery, but Kiki tackled both with creativity that made them standout moments. Fraud was represented with “Dark Lady” by Cher, which fit the theme perfectly once Kiki leaned into the storytelling and theatricality of the number. It became one of the most memorable performances of the night because of how cleverly it was tied to the theme. Treachery was set to “Walk Like an Angel,” which turned into a fully interactive experience. Kiki had the crowd involved, building the number into something playful and unpredictable, which made the choice land even harder.

By the end of the night the audience had screamed, laughed, clapped, and fully surrendered to Kiki’s vision of hell. It was a smart show disguised as a silly one, a chaotic show disguised as a structured one, and a reminder that Kiki Ball-Change is one of the most entertaining and inventive performers working the cabaret scene right now.

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Learn more about Kiki online at kikiballchange.com. You can see her at Pieces every Tuesday and Vers every Sunday at 9 pm, or catch her Dolly Parton tribute show at 3 Dollar Bill on January 15th from 9 pm to midnight. She returns to Joe's Pub on April 2 at 9:30 pm with a new solo show, Are We Having Fun Yet?

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