REVIEW: Elegant Cabaret L’HÔTEL Enchants Sydney Audiences Again

Craig Ilott (co-creator and director) and Stuart Couzens’ (co-creator and designer) Parisian style classy cabaret L’Hôtel calls Sydney’s newest theatre space, Foundry Theatre, home for an encore season.  Following on from successful seasons as Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the Sydney Opera House in previous years, this beautiful blend of burlesque, circus, music and acrobatics is a delightful escape from the cooling weather.

While the genre of classy cabaret is not new with a number of productions touring, L’Hôtel sets the 75 minutes of live performance to an underlying storyline of love in all its forms, from lost love, young love, same-sex love, hidden love, and unrequited love as the inhabitants of a fancy French hotel go about their business, from welcoming new guests, carrying baggage, serving patrons in the restaurant (the audience members who have purchased the VIP experience), cleaning rooms and overseeing the whole operations.  All of the characters you’d expect to find in a well run hotel are present, from the owner(John Waters), a brooding man clinging on to a past love, Porters (Brendan MacLean, Danik Abishev and Masha Terentieva) that provide an element of comedy relief between moving baggage, Front Desk Concierge (Bentley Rebel) that seems prim and put together but surprises with hidden secrets, the guest (Daniella Del Mar) and Maitre D (Hilton Denis) that strike up a relationship, housekeeping (Ceejay Shuttleworth and Mariia Borysiak) that get soaked before scrubbing and maintenance (Abi McCunn and Lindsay Page)  that provide the musical interludes.

Renier Jansen van Vuuren and Stuart Couzens’ set design gives the aesthetic of the experience a striking combination of red and gold clean lines that capture a contemporary but classic feel.  The performance space stretches into the audience with cabaret tables surrounding a central podium below the chandelier while additional vertical interest is gained through the use of a raised balcony housing three doors to the guest rooms, enabling the eye to be drawn away from the main stage while sets are changed.  A grand piano perches to the left of the stage while a claw foot bathtub dominates the right of the stage.  Mason Browne and Rose Jurd’s costume design fits perfectly with the style of the work with a perfect balance of the burlesque sensibilities and the storytelling and Lucas Newland’s (Choreograher) amusing re-dressing rather than undressing a fun thread that runs through the work.  Renier Jansen van Vuuren’s lighting enables the eye to easily be drawn to the action while the inclusion of side on spotlights on the Hair Suspension reinforces the movements like a music box dancer’s shadows.

L’Hôtel is a well balanced blend of breathtaking acrobatics, aerial and circus acts alongside clowning, burlesque dance and live music with some captivating songs delivered by Hotelier John Waters and the lead Bellhop (Brendan MacLean) supported by multitalented musicians.  Everything is delivered with a high degree of class so even though the performers are often scantily clad, inkeeping with the burlesque circus styling, Ilott and Couzens have refrained from heading down the easy path that other productions do but rather celebrating the performers grace, athleticism and artistry.

Australia - Sydney Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. MJ THE MUSICAL (Sydney Lyric Theatre)

8% of votes

2. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Gosford Musical Society)

6.9% of votes

3. A CHORUS LINE (Curtain Bounce)

6.4% of votes

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