By Nick Pilgrim
‘I am what I am
I am my own special creation
So come take a look
Give me the hook or the ovation
It’s my world that I want to have a little pride in
My world and it’s not a place I have to hide in
Life’s not worth a damn
‘Til you can say, I am what I am’
La Cage Au Folles (1983)
In fifteen years of reviewing live entertainment, I thought I had seen everything. That theory was put to rest last weekend. Finucane & Smith’s Dance Palace challenged me to rethink the medium through fresh, invigorated, and somewhat surprised eyes.
The show’s catchy tagline ‘Hot Dance. Wild Art. Burlesque Sirens. All Heart.’ says it all.
One of critiquing’s biggest joys, is to always expect the unexpected. This two-hour extravaganza does that and more.
Twelve hand-picked and original acts filled the room with energy, enthusiasm, and aplomb. From powerhouse vocalists to exotic dancers, I defy anyone in their presence not to be won over. Strictly for the eighteen-plus crowd, there is something on offer for everyone.
Combining the art forms ‘a’ (acrobatics), ‘b’ (burlesque) and ‘c’ (cabaret) takes a visionary team with special planning skills.
Similar experiences I have had the privilege of seeing include:
- Briefs
- Club Vegas – The Spectacle
- Hot Brown Honey
- Le Noir
- Magic Mike Live
- Railed
- Velvet
- Walanbaa – Burn The Floor
Just to name a few.
Like a den mother taking and nurturing new talent under her vast wing, Moira Finucane is an institution. Celebrating thirty years in the industry while scooping up awards and traveling the globe, she has spread her special brand far and wide with wild wit and cheeky charm.
As one of the uninitiated, I was provided with many laugh-out-loud moments balanced with considered food for thought. To educate, shock and enlighten while entertaining is Dance Palace’s philosophy in a nutshell.
Hosting her troupe at a fairground like Luna Park, is a genius masterstroke. Doing much of the production’s heavy-lifting, even walking through its famous toothy entrance on my way to the venue, immediately creates an atmosphere of excitement and intrigue.
Packed to the rafters, the open plan showroom itself maximises each individual act or routine to their full potential. Whether playing to the audience on a central catwalk, positioned around space on raised platforms or strutting through the crowd, this is very much a lighting, sound and costumed feast for the senses up close and personal.
Think Cirque Du Soleil meets Studio 54 or Moulin Rouge, and you’ll immediately get the idea.
In no special order, some of the eclectic evening’s highlights included:
- Mandeera’s powerhouse interpretation of the Tina Turner classic, “Nutbush City Limits”
- Mama Alto’s divalicious renditions of ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor and Joni Mitchell’s ‘Both Sides Now’.
- Piera Dennerstein, hitting the operatic heights with Puccini’s ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’.
- Yumi Umimare’s intriguing Eastern cosplay.
- Raksha Parsnani joyful belly-dance combining traditional and modern beats.
- Govind Pilai’s champagne-soaked seduction.
- Maude Davey’s Harlequin nodding to Bertolt Brecht and Lotte Lenya.
- Beloved Monkey’s impressive hoop tricks and scarf contortions.
- Kate Foster’s Tamworth meets Nashville Country & Western appeal.
- Glennys Briggs, supported by Ian Muir, with a sensitive tribute to culture and heritage.
- Like the lovechild of Karen Walker and Gypsy Rose Lee, Maple Rose teased and titillated viewers with striptease which was a fascinating throwback to another era.
- Zitao Dang’s original composition to ‘Fiery Velvet Flowers’
Taking centre stage as host or teasing the crowd with her antics, Finucane herself is fearless and funny in equal measure. Whether she is flirting with a meat pie to AC/DC’s ‘TNT’, extolling the ecological virtues of krill, or splashing herself and the front row with tomato soup, this is an artist who knows their appeal and isn’t afraid to use it.
She is indeed one of a kind.
If you’re in the mood for something out-there and a little off-centre, Dance Palace is playing every Friday and Saturday night at Luna Park for a strictly-limited twelve show run until September 12.
You’d be bonkers to miss it.
