Burlesque and cabaret performer Louise McCabe is the co-director of Guilty Pleasures Cabaret & Burlesque Festival, bringing colour and pizzaz to Brunswick Heads 12–14 May.
Louise, what was the inspiration for the Cabaret & Burlesque Festival? Why is it such a good fit for Brunswick Heads do you think?
In 2013/14, I performed in one of the Bay Cabaret shows which was really popular and lots of fun and I saw how many great acts there were around the area, including burlesque artists – and I thought: ‘There really is an audience for cabaret and burlesque. We should do more of it.’ There are cabaret festivals all over Australia, but so far none in the northern rivers, which is such a hub for festivals, so why not a Cabaret & Burlesque one?
My co-director, Lucy Rhoades, and I both thought that Brunswick Heads was the perfect spot for a cabaret festival because of its whole end-of-the-pier, speakeasy-by-the-seaside feel – it’s got the yearly carnival and the vintage shops and it has the perfect vibe for it.
As we started planning it, the stars aligned (as you’d expect in the northern rivers) and the Brunswick Picture House came to town! Lucy met with Brett Haylock and the crew from the Picture House and discussed our idea of a festival; they were very supportive of the idea and keen to be involved.
What is the essence of great cabaret? What do you look for when you are programming?
I’ve been a fan of cabaret for many years and performing occasionally in it since early 2000s and I think it’s a great artform. It involves such a mix of skills and it’s so diverse – from the torch singer at a piano, to comedy sketches, to drag, to standup, circus, sideshow and performance art – or a hybrid of all of it.
Cabaret was huge in the Weimar Republic of Germany before the rise of the Nazis, who absolutely hated everything it stood for, such as freedom of political, social, artistic and sexual expression.
We’re sadly in a world that’s becoming more dangerously right wing and it seems fitting to be holding a cabaret festival right now.
To me great cabaret is that which is on the edge and immediate, and that breaks down the fourth wall so the audience are a vital part of the show – where the performers are having so much fun that their audience can’t help but have a great time too. Story is also important – so we’ve looked for artists whose acts tell a story that’s absorbing and moving – whether that’s a 3-minute burlesque act, or a 40-minute set of songs.
What we’ve tried to do is create a festival that’s as diverse as possible. There are some acts with political and social satire and comment – and then there’s some stuff that’s purely visual spectacle and entertainment.
There’ll be some classic burlesque but also neo-burlesque that’s completely different. And we’ve also tried to get a good mix of the wonderful local talent we have with out-of-town acts.
What will be the highlights at Guilty Pleasures Burlesque Festival?
So many – I don’t know where to start really! We’re really thrilled to have Glitta Supernova who’s a real trailblazer in burlesque; the hilarious Travelling Sisters who do comedy sketches; glam rock burlesque band the Bertie Page Clinic, who are huge in Japan and France; and award-winning burlesque star Miss Bettie Bombshell, who’s very comic and a beautiful dancer. We’ve got a beautiful show of French chanson from Louise Blackwell, Parisienne cabaret dancers Class Act Follies, and local singer/songwriter Parissa Bouas, who’s created a show especially for Guilty Pleasures – plus heaps more. The Picture House’s program will include two shows from international cabaret singer Ali McGregor and their program will also feature Imogen Kelly, who was World Queen of Burlesque in 2012 at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.
Guilty Pleasures will take place in two venues: The Memorial Hall and Brunswick Picture House. To see the program and book tickets, go to www.guilty-pleasures-fest.com.au.
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