By Jennifer Beasley.
A ‘lonely, busy, wandering cloud’ is surprisingly sweet and tender.
This was a very hard one to class. Unique, whimsical and full of mishaps and happenstance, Amy Bodossian sings, dances, interviews and creates chaos during this cabaret styled performance at The Toff In Town which ran for 2 hours.
There is a lot to like about Bodossian. Frank and endearing, her spoken word poetry and singing are sublime. I was swept away by her talent. This is her great strength, and something that I would love to see more of. Peppered with references to OCD and ADHD, when Bodossian is in her natural element the room goes quiet; she is the Queen here, and in full control of her poetic and singing talents, which reigns in her impulsiveness and are channelled into an astounding talent.
Switching it up, Bodossian invites Kurdish refugee Farhad Badesh to sing. A raw and honest performance, Badesh sings a song he wrote while in Mannus Island. He presents as a sincere man who remains on a temporary visa, struggling to leave behind the horrors of war and the disinterment of his people. It was a shame that Bodossian kept losing focus during the interview, even though her intent was gracious, and it was easily apparent that she loves speaking to guests. However, Badesh was gentle and kind, a lovely counterpoint of calm to Bodossian. Some practice in interview skills would help here.
After intermission Boudossian again sang. Wow. Captivating.
Maude Davey was the next guest, likable, and a good comedic talent and singer. I would have liked to have seen more of her abilities. An interesting interview followed, with Davey stating to Bodossian that the secret to performing is ‘to cut the piece by a third, then cut that piece by a third again’. A great piece of advice and one that should be followed here as the performance went way over time. Once again Bodossian struggled with interview techniques and Davey, such a gracious lady, supported her here.
There was a lot going on here, and the intent came from the creative depths that Bodossian draws on from her YouTube videos. It would have worked better if there were only the spoken word elements, as Bodossian can easily command a room, and perhaps have only one other supporting performer to break it up.
Interesting format, and worth following Amy Bodossian Amy Bodossian | Melbourne poet & cabaret performer – Amy Bodossian to bask in those captivating words, Farhad Badesh 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐡 (@farhadbandesh) • Instagram photos and videos to be moved by his music, and Maude Davey Maude Davey (@maudedavey) • Instagram photos and videos whose boundary pushing comedy and singing makes you believe there is no glass ceiling for women.
