Review: SYDNEY CABARET FESTIVAL: KIM SINGS KYLIE Is Kim David Smith's Camp And Comic Cabaret Homage To Australia's Pop Princess
Friday 12th July 2019, 7:30pm, Seymour Centre
Kim David Smith shares his love of another Australian export with Sydney as he brings KIM SINGS KYLIE to the inaugural SYDNEY CABARET FESTIVAL. The New York based Melbourne boy blends pop songs with his special brand of Weimar styling and impromptu storytelling for a crowd-pleasing hour of entertainment.
Smith is well known on the cabaret festival circuit for his refined looks, penchant for leather corsetry and buckles, endearing diva charm and ability to reinterpret music with a darker Weimar style kabarett undertone. For this work, Smith keeps his shirt on, (sorry for those that were wanting the bare chest and mirror corset in the marketing material) and strikes an image of old-world elegance with a twist as bondage gear spans his torso beneath his tuxedo jacket. The Reginald Theatre stage, renamed the Tilbury Room for the festival, has a classic supper club aesthetic with tinsel backdrop and grand piano. Small cabaret tables fill the front of the space in front of the traditional theatre seating.
Supported by what seems to be the busiest pianist at the Sydney Cabaret Festival, Brian Nash (also a New Yorker), Smith presents a loosely scripted concert where he shares his enduring love of Kylie Minogue's music which stems back to dancing around the living room at the age of 6 to Loco Motion. He shares stories of his life in New York, insight into his family and thoughts on visiting Sydney in winter in a rambling series of verbalized thoughts. He also steers clear of any focus on Minogue's private life that the tabloids love to speculate on with a respectful statement that it is the music that he loves and private lives are not his business. The musical arrangements delve deeper into the emotion of the songs as Smith plays with tempo and emphasis to shift them from high energy pop to more pensive pieces that focus more on the detail of the lyrics. Starting with a bold and interactive rendition of Cherry Bomb the evening draws on songs throughout Minogue's career, including favorites like On A Night Like This and her foray into country with a pain infused poignant Put Yourself In My Place .
KIM SINGS KYLIE is a fun alternative expression of pop music and a chance for Sydney audiences to experience the delightful stylings of cabaret's perennial pixie.
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