Sex and Songs. What more could you ask for?
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 12:40PM
Reviewed by Matthew Carey
As I sat in the balcony at The Promethean awaiting the start of La Petite Mort I was intrigued by the sheer red dress draped over the grand piano and high heeled shoes waiting on the piano stool.
Isabel Hertaeg’s first song which talked of Carnival Time being time for sex with the devil confirmed that a great deal of this show was going to be about sex and sexuality. The fact that in the first five minutes of the show Isabel put clothes on instead of taking them off suggested to me that what she planned to fuck with tonight was my mind.
Unlike Tiger Woods, Isabel makes no apologies for who she is. As she says, she’s a woman who started exploring the theories behind female sexuality because she had many questions. Her show stimulates your thinking but is not merely shallow titillation.
Her legit vocal training is evident in a Strauss art song but she can cross genres with ease, sliding straight into a vocal bump and grind in the next song about Temptation.
Pianist Geoff Urquhart provides superb accompaniment and adds a wry counterpoint to Hertaeg’s open, honest delivery. His touch is exquiste and he supports the melody beautifully.
Isabel shares fun facts about sex. For example did you know that a contraception method encouraged by doctors in 6th Century Europe was to place a slice of cat’s liver in an ivory tube and tie it around one’s left ankle? Good thing we’ve moved on from there.
The highlight of the show for me was Hertaeg’s interpretation of the song “Colour and Light” from the Sondheim show Sunday in the Park with George. Re-imagining the opening of the song as the pathway to and description of an orgasm was literally breathtaking and the number was a vocal tour de force.
The show’s end came a little suddenly for me. I felt as though I needed a little more notice that we were hearing Isabel’s final song so that we could give her the audience response she deserved. I think we would have definitely brought her back for an encore had we realised the show was finished!
With a eclectic mix of songs (covering classical, RnB and country music styles among others) and plenty of food for thought, La Petite Mort is an entertaining late night show for audiences who like something to think about as well as something to look at.
Venue: The Promethean
25 Feb, 4, 10-11 March @ 9.30pm, 19 Feb, 12 March at 10.00pm
5 March @ 10.30pm
Adult $20/Concession $15
Book at FringeTIX (1300-FRINGE) or click here.
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Reader Comments (1)
Ooh.. I can't wait to see this show!!