Cabaret ... A Dying Art

As long as I can remember, it is the first "true blue" cabaret performance I have been to, discounting the Divine Miss M's dazzling display a few weeks back. We went to El Rocco room in Bar Me at Kings Cross last Friday night, where we watched Tim Draxl perform his latest show "Back for Seconds".

It is set in a small dark bar underneath the restaurant, and you can choose to eat first before the performance (like a dinner show) or just watch the performance. We chose just to watch but there were friends that night who ate and said that it was a delightful experience too. The setting was dark and a little dinghy, which was very authentic except for the smoke filled rooms you used to see in movies. Word has it (or from Tim Draxl) that Frank Sinatra performed there as well, which was why Tim wanted to do it there.

He performed many jazz classics like Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Cry Me A River" (which he pointed out was not Justin Timberlake's version), and many other heart-renching love themes, that brought us to another place not found on Earth ... Neverland. His beautiful voice well beyond his young 23 years, carried us through many forgotten themes from "Mary Poppins" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", and even dedicated a beautiful lullaby to his mother who was present that night.

One of the major highlights for me was a made to believe as an impromptu duet with Matt Newtown (Bert Newton's son), who was fantastic as well, in their uproaring rendition of the Frank Sinatra-Bing Crosby classic "Well, Did You Evah?" from "High Society".

It is indeed very interesting and weird as well to be drowning in love with his renditions one minute, and then head up for the bar during the interval and stand next to him with a drink. It is the intimacy of the place and the intensity of the stares that allow one to fantasize that he is singing just for you. It made me wonder if that is what Akina is trying to do this year with her more intimate sized concerts?

It is an experience to be had, and if there is anyone who is interested to experience cabaret, then this is a good choice, and it helps that he is very easy on the eyes too. Last Friday was meant to be the final weekend for his cabaret performance, but due to popular demand, which Tim himself teases about, it has been extended for another 3 weeks. So, who says that Cabaret is a dying art ... if there are good singers willing to perform, there will be queens willing to listen ...