Interview: Maria Venuti and Trevor Ashley

Exuberant legendary Australian showbiz icon Maria Venuti has enjoyed a long and illustrious career on stage, TV, and film. She’s worked with Duke Ellington, performed around the world in countless cabaret shows and played a hit role in the SBS TV comedy series Pizza. This year Venuti celebrates two important anniversaries.

Her musical director, Trevor Ashley is a cabaret and musical theatre star in his own right. He has played charismatic female entertainers from Liza Minnelli to Tina Turner and recently starred as Edna Turnblad in the Australian production of Hairspray.

These two multi-talented performers will present I Am What I Am at Sydney’s premier cabaret venue Slide on October 26th. Cabaret Confessional had a chat to the tight knit duo.

Maria Venuti

How would you describe your show I Am What I Am?

Darling, this is the perfect show for me. This year I’ve had two milestones in my life - celebrating my golden anniversary in show businessand my LXX birthday.

In addition to singing some of my favourite jazz standards and show songs, I’m including ‘Be Italian’ from the musical Nine. That has prompted me to pay homage to my Italian heritage. This show sees me delving a little deeper into a more serious side of myself, and there are more soulful ballads and a total ‘he’s done me wrong and I’ve survived to be a successful woman of the 21^st century” section. Of course I couldn’t have a show without a couple of irreverent parodies…I guess I like to put a different ‘slant’ on a song. I Am What I Am allows me to do just that.

What inspired you to write the show?

My life’s journey…my ‘La Dolce Vita’.

My motto has always been ‘Live for Today and let life surprise me tomorrow’ so it’s surreal to actually have recently published my autobiography, “A Whole Load of Front” (written with author Christine Hogan). I hope you’re smiling at that title but there is a serious side to that name – we all need a whole load of front to survive in this crazy world…I guess that’s what I’m about – serious fun.

It was a journey of discovery even after working solidly as an entertainer in all facets of this tough, cutthroat, competitive industry. It’s the best of all professions…so putting this together gives me an exciting ‘way over the top’ feeling - the adrenalin starts pumping and inspiration lands…and there’s a show!

Trevor Ashley is your musical director for this show. What is it like to work with him?

Oh! He’s definitely Daughter #2…and I’m his Mama #2. Quick lunches, deep and meaningful conversations, interruptions, loads of drama, and that’s just the rehearsal!

On stage, it’s so spontaneous. That’s the thrill of the performance. We sing songs together with vocal harmonies. We chat on stage and there is unpredictable ‘banter’. I never know what he’s going to come out with… that’s what I love.

I met this amazing bundle of exceptional talent for the first time at a consulting session for The Talent Development Project at The Entertainment Centre. Trevor was a cheeky 15-year old singing the macho song ‘I Feel Pretty’ from West Side Story. When it was time to give my advice…I couldn’t think of anything to say, except “Trevor that was just perfect!” Just as well, as I certainly could not have imagined that a few years later we’d be working together, let alone having him as my musical director.

How did you discover cabaret?

I think I invented it! (joking!) You know what? Cabaret discovers YOU. In the Oxford Dictionary the word cabaret is stated as ‘an entertainment’. It’s the purest form of entertainment. In the early part of my career I was doing the late, late, late show – yes, at around 2am at THE Sydney night club of the time, Chequers in Goulburn Street. It was a small room. I would arrive early after my first gig and be mesmerised by the headliners such as Shirley Bassey. Sarah Vaughan actually started a song off key and had to start again. That taught me that even the greatest of singers can do wrong.

Who/what has been your biggest influence in your career?

It’s impossible for me to choose just one who or what.

I started singing at 17 and at the beginning of my career, it was jazz singers and musicians that I would listen to incessantly. Later on I realised that to achieve success in this business I so yearned for, I had to be unique and had to strive to be an individual, to be first rate. I’ve never had a mentor as such. I’ve done it the hard way, but of course I enjoy being one to young performers. Duke Ellington – I worked with him in Asia. Frances Faye, Liza Minnelli, the English jazz singer Cleo Laine..oh! so many singers to listen and learn from. I wish I had seen Mae West perform live.

Lately, I’ve been inspired by Richard Branson, who funnily enough, combines a lot of ‘show’ with his extraordinary ‘biz and his outlook on life and healthy lifestyle.

You became a household name in Australia with the hit TV comedy series Pizza. How did that experience change you as a performer?

What a thrill it was to be part of this ground breaking, irreverent, sometimes stomach churning and politically incorrect series. We also did a movie Fat Pizza, which was a huge success and was kinda like Pizza on steroids. A series had just finished and I was watching an episode. I was stunned to see my character Signora Gina Gigliotti, lovingly known as ‘Bobo’s Mama’, being so fiery, ferocious and physically violent!

It provided me with a whole new audience, but any Maria Venuti glamour went out the window along with any vanity I may have had. I had more make up on when I was born than I wore for that character. Being that far out of my comfort zone changed me as a performer.

What have been your funniest moments on stage to date?

One moment I’ll never forget…I had an enormous hairpiece on the top of my head singing a big number with dancers. As the big finish came, I flicked my head back then forward again with a vengeance. You can guess what happened. My hair landed in the front row…I likened it to a little poodle whistling for it’s return.

I learnt about Hollywood tape after I was on stage and surprised by Chanel 9’s Mike Monroe on This Is Your Life. After he said those magic words “Maria Venetia - This Is your Life” I uttered, “Does that mean I will have to cover my cleeeeeeeeeeevaaaage?” and promptly did a bow (always happens on my bows!). Then came the wardrobe malfunction of the highest order. I’m looking forward to more!

Trevor wants to write my next show…and have me come out in a slinky black dress au naturel. 

What is cabaret to you?

Cabaret creates love, intimacy and interaction with your audience. That is unique…it’s real time…it’s now…it’s a high! It can be cruel and tear your heart out, but there’s nothing more invigorating to a performer.

Trevor Ashley

You’re back in cabaret as a musical director after your big role as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray.  How has getting back into it with Maria been like?

It’s always a blast - after all, she is my Mummy #2! Working with Maria is always a laugh, and since we’ve done the show so often together it’s an easy ride. It’s a nice change after a long run.

As someone who has been on both sides, what do you think makes a good musical director/accompanist in cabaret, and what are you mindful of for this show?

The best MDs are ones who understand and anticipate what the singer is about to do. I always try and keep one step ahead of Maria - she likes to ad lib and pull things around in her show. I’m always on my toes.

Maria starred in the ShowQueens series, Sydney’s popular cabaret showcase night that you created, produced, starred in and hosted. It has been on hiatus while you were busy with Hairspray.  Will you bring it back?

Yes - it’s looking very likely that we will be back soon. I’ve missed it, and I think Sydney needs it back. There’s really no one doing anything like it anymore.

What is it about cabaret that appeals to you the most?

I like the immediacy and the intimacy of it. Performing to small houses that are so appreciative makes you often feel like you’re working a stadium! I also love that you can pretty much do anything in your show and audiences will go with you.

You’ve portrayed various famous women in your cabaret shows from Liza Minnelli to Shirley Bassey to Tina Turner. How do you relate to and capture the essence of those female performers so well?

I honestly couldn’t tell you. I guess my love for them as performers comes out of me. I have listened to and watched their work for so long I find it very easy to capture the essence of them.

How do you find the cabaret scene in Australia?

I think it’s very mixed. You have amazing highs like the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, but then not much going on in Sydney at the moment. Thank God for places like Slide and El Rocco for keeping it going.

What’s in store for you next?

I’m about to start on my brand new show FAT SWAN. It’s a cabaret but done in the style of a panto. It’s very adults-only however - no kids at this one!

Maria Venuti in I Am What I Am 

Date: October 24, 2011

Venue: Slide Bar 41 Oxford Street Darlinghurst

Time: 7.00pm - dinner and show, 9.00pm - show only

Ticket price: Dinner and show $73.95/ Show only $33 

Bookings: Slide:  Call 02 8915-1899

 Ticketek: Click here or call Ticketek on 13-2849

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