Homecoming - 4.5 out of 5 stars
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
TICKETS: Homecoming - Friday 19th June 2026
First conceived by Artistic Director David Campbell and his wife, Lisa, in 2010, the annual Class of Cabaret empowers some of the most talented high school performers to step onto the stage. Since then, the program has helped launch the careers of many artists who have gone on to achieve considerable success across the industry.
While the Class of Cabaret continues strong sixteen years after its inception, current Artistic Director
Reuben Kaye has imagined the concept of a high school reunion. Hosted by Alex
De Porteous (Class of 2015), the evening showcases four graduates across
an hour of storytelling, music, and comedy, celebrating both their journeys and
individuality.
The standout of the evening is Scarlett Anthony, a formidable performer whose career began with the lead role in Bring It On: The Musical at 17, which she reprised the following year. Having found her passion, Anthony took a leap in auditioning for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, where she then spent six years as a featured vocalist, sailing the seven seas. Returning to Australia, she auditioned and successfully secured a swing role in the recent tour of Heathers: The Musical, covering Veronica, all three Heathers, and six additional ensemble tracks. Her set seamlessly blends anecdote with performance, delivering a commanding rendition of the opening number from Bring It On before elevating the intensity with a powerhouse performance of I Say No from Heathers. Heathers: The Musical opens in Adelaide next month!
Following Anthony is Joey Haenen, a 2022 graduate and
recipient of the Nathaniel O’Brien Scholarship. Ahead of his upcoming
appearance in Into the Woods with State Opera South Australia, Haenen
offers a more contemplative set, reflecting on his dual academic achievements
in musical theatre and a Masters in Teaching, as well as his personal
aspirations and affinity for John Denver. Opening with Sunshine on My
Shoulders, his presentation leans into a relaxed, intimate style.
Accompanying himself on a 12-string guitar, Haenen performs Waltzing Matilda
and Both Sides Now alongside the four-piece band, before concluding with
an original lullaby, Love You Gently, providing a gentle and sincere
finish to his segment.
Jemma Allen, one-third of the award-winning cabaret trio
Bisexual Intellectuals, follows with a distinctly comedic turn. Dressed in a
feline costume, Allen playfully nods to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS,
framing her set around a humorous misunderstanding of the Adelaide Cabaret
Festival as a “Cat Festival.” Her reimagining of Jellicle Songs for Jellicle
Cats—retitled “Gemma-cle Cat”—is both humorously absurd and impressively
executed. The commitment to choreography, particularly for those familiar with
the original staging, highlights Allen’s physical precision and comic timing,
resulting in a performance that is as entertaining as it would be technically
accomplished.
Closing the evening is Jego Loreto, a 2012 graduate whose
smooth vocal style reflects his established presence within Adelaide’s soul and
R&B scene. Loreto offers a contrast to the preceding performers, speaking
candidly about balancing music with a conventional 9–5 job and family life.
While a quip about avoiding the “struggling musician” stereotype lands flat with
the audience and the 4-piece band, he attempts to recover, finishing with a
polished number that reinforces his strengths as a soulful performer.
Collectively, the performers, alongside De Porteous’ steady
hosting, create a homecoming that captures the spirit of a high school
reunion—nostalgic, varied, and celebratory. While a final group number feels
like a missed opportunity to unify the evening, the showcase remains engaging
throughout. It is an hour that passes quickly, driven by a diverse range of
talent and compelling personal narratives.
Homecoming returns on Friday 19 June, featuring the return
of Scarlett Anthony and Jego Loreto, joined by Mat Monti (Class of 2018) and
Max Olman (Class of 2023).
- Andrew Broadbent
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