Taking over the Sydney Opera House with an 18-piece orchestra in his flashiest, funniest and most fearless endeavour yet, Reuben Kaye is bigger and better than ever (it’s in the title). We know because he made us write it down.
The fiery, filthy and fabulous comedian and cabaret artist blends rapid-fire punchlines with full-throated torch songs in an extravagant spectacle entitled enGORGed
How would you describe your show to someone who knows very little about it?
Engorged is what happens if you let a 6ft child with the body of an East German shot putter eat sugar. It’s big, bold, brash and other words beginning with B. It’s also surprisingly intimate, beautiful and in some ways heartbreaking. The songs are stunning, ranging from Aerosmith to Amanda Lear to Leslie Bricusse, to Carole King, and the arrangements by Shanon Whitelock are incredible and the costumes are… well. No spoilers!
What makes it stand out and why should people see it?
Me, Reuben Kaye national treasure/national pariah standing on one of the greatest and most revered venues in the world spouting the filth I’m known for? Backed by an 18 piece orchestra who do not get a copy of the script? I think it’s worth watching just to see the musicians try and keep it together.
I think it’s just a joy to see comedy and cabaret performed at this scale. Where else in Australia can you see that?
How long was the process from idea to writing to stage? Any challenges along the way?
This show has been developing for the last 3 years since it was commissioned by The Adelaide Cabaret Festival. And each time it’s performed it changes, it evolves and I learn something new. In that was it’s always a challenge but a wonderful and worthwhile one. A great endeavour… a mountain to climb!
Please tell me about what attracts you to the Sydney festival and why you love performing there.
I’ve NEVER performed at Sydney Festival but I can tell you that Sydney audiences are a beast unto themselves and that I love! They see so much but aren’t cynical, while being so well fed by the arts they haven’t lost their enthusiasm and recklessness. It’s dangerous and exciting even at a “civilised” venue like the opera house. And Sydney Fest has such exciting programming it’s a thrill to be included!
How would you describe your relationship with the audience and what do you love the most about live performance?
Without the audience I’m nothing. I see a lot of artists say things like: I do it for the art and I think that’s a load of horseshit. I’m doing it for the audience. Every laugh, every snort, every clap. They’re the ones bringing their lives into the theatre. And every night is different and special for that audience because they bring something different every night. It’s my job and great joy to meet that head on and run with it. That’s the thrill of cabaret at its core.
Who would you say has been your biggest inspirations?
Reg Livermore and Bette Midler are the top two by far. But then you have Paul Capsis, The Marx Bros, Buster Keaton goes the list goes on and on. All you can do is have so many different references that people consider what you do original because compiling the bibliography of theft is just too exhausting.
What are three things that would surprise people to learn about you?
– I’m actually the Crown Princess Anastasia
– as the Crown Princess I swallowed several diamonds to aide my escape from the Bolsheviks in 1918.
– 107 years later… I’m still waiting for those diamonds to pass.
Finally, what would you like audiences to take away from the show?
Which audience members are we talking about? For most I want them to leave feeling like someone has held them in a warm embrace for two hours where we’ve all been able to laugh at the shit that scares us, including ourselves. If any of The Sydney Roosters are in the audience they can have my mobile number and home address.
Kaye shares deeply personal (and hilarious) stories in between belting out diva-worthy anthems: there’s no material that’s off-limits for this sharp-tongued cabaret superstar.
A winner of multiple Best Cabaret Awards, Kaye is political, bawdy, and very queer; his voice is honey spritzed with cyanide. A full musical entourage has been enlisted for EnGORGed – including band, backing vocalists and mini orchestra – adding swelling strings and a throbbing rhythm section to his seductive vocals.
January 16
https://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/events/engorged
Image: Claudio-Raschella
