Dogs... A Canine Cabaret - 9.5 out of 10
Carla's Confessional Cabaret
TICKETS: Dogs... a canine cabaret | Adelaide Fringe
Carla Anita Mattiazzo brings her love of
dogs to the Adelaide Fringe showcasing her enormous talents as a performer and
raconteur. In the space of an hour, the audience is treated to a snapshot of
the dogs that have stolen her heart over the years – as dogs tend to do. It is
a heartfelt and beautiful tribute to those adorable four-legged friends who
love us unconditionally.
Mattiazzo is no stranger to cabaret and
her infectious smile and personality are well and truly on display. Her voice
is lovely and warm, with beautiful resonance and with an endearing character
that shines through in the selection of material that peppers the show, along
with the infectious manner of her storytelling. Most of the songs are well
known jazz standards with slightly tweaked lyrics and they work very well. To
help with this, she has the backing of an outstanding trio of musicians, led by
pianist Ciara Ferguson who shows off her improvisational skills during an
audience participation section. She is supported by Spiro Kolovos on bass and
Michael Hutchison on drums, who not only have to play but also take part in a
cute section involving puppets and a missing collar. These four people
obviously are great friends who enjoy the subject matter as much as everyone
else.
This is a performance that runs the gamut
of emotions and the audience – made up of all ages – laughed and cried at all
the right moments, reflecting the extraordinary ability of Mattiazzo to bring
the audience in. There are moments where anyone who has owned a dog (and
judging by the response from the audience, that was an overwhelmingly large
number) understood entirely the journey that Mattiazzo has gone on with her
dogs.
Director Vince Fusco has helps bring the
theatrical side of the show out, and there are no dead spots at all. Carla
moves around the stage and through the audience without losing her stride at
all and the show is perfectly paced between the singing and storytelling
throughout.
The beautiful surrounds of the Plant 4 at
Bowden work well for the most part, although there are occasions when Carla sat
on the stage meaning many beyond the first couple of rows could not see her.
Also, a tap section needs a floor mic to help pick the sound of the taps. These
are minor quibbles in what was generally a well-mixed performance. The use of
multimedia on the nearby screen help elevate the show without overwhelming it,
which is not always an easy balance to find.
If you own, or have ever owned, a dog, you
owe it to yourself to see this wonderful local artist give tribute to our furry
friends. Bring pictures to show Carla before the show and those around you!
One word of warning though: While Plant 4 is a wonderful and vibrant venue that is run extremely well, there is not a lot of nearby parking. It is advisable to get to the venue early and to check the parking restrictions in the nearby streets.
- Rodney Hrvatin
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