Review -Dash Kruck in Cabaret mode

Cabaret at the Cremorne

Dash Kruck – I might Take my Shirt off

Written by Dash Kruck

Original music by Chris Perren

Directed by Emily Gilhome

Cremorne Theatre

Queensland Performing Arts Centre

South Bank Brisbane

Dash Kruck’s work on stage has always been impressive. He has a good stage presence and great comic timing; he is no slouch in the writing area either, so I was looking forward to see him working as a cabaret performer.

I wasn’t disappointed, especially when it turned into the Dash and Wesley (Enoch) show. Dash, as alter ego Lionel, began to rock with a rather cheeky song called Sit on My Face and he dragged an unprompted Wesley from the audience and onto the stage where he gave him a thorough going over, much to the delight of the audience. That little segment turned a funny show into an hilarious one.

Dash, along with a piano bass and drum trio, opened the show with a little song that told us he didn’t know how to open a cabaret show. It was something he had never done before; in fact he had never been on stage before.

This appearance apparently was Lionel’s way, suggested (strongly) by a harsh German therapist named Griselda, of “finding himself”, to grow out of his unhappy way of life and “get some testicles”.

There were some funny conversations with the invisible German!

So Lionel entered hesitantly, dressed in a cheap business suit and tie, with a much read and folded list of things he had to do to be successful – one of course was to take off his shirt.

His character was the classic vaudeville “little man”, always in trouble through no fault of his own and always fighting to become a winner. He made us laugh with his ill-timed audience meet and greet segment, his faltering announcement that his boyfriend had left him, and he silenced the laughing crowd with revelations of his unhappiness and then buoyed them back up again as Lionel gained in confidence,.

Then his list of cabaret “musts” included alcohol, so slowly Lionel proceeded to follow his plans and began to drink his gin and become gently intoxicated.

It was a brilliant drunk act and obviously gave Lionel some Dutch courage. His attack on Wesley came around this time. The change on Lionel’s hesitant self to his confident self was cleverly done and evolved slowly, with dialogue and some self-penned lyric set to Chris Perren’s tunes, which he sang well. Did he eventually take off his shirt? Find out the next time he brings his act to the stage.

It was a happy hour spent in good company along with an appreciative audience. Dash has a legion of fans and he well deserves it.

The Cabaret at the Cremorne continues until June 20. You can more info and make bookings at http://www.qpac.com.au/CabaretAtTheCremorne