Michael Griffiths' Cabaret Tour Diary Part 1 - Melbourne debut

Cabaret Confessional is excited to announce our new guest blogger Michael Griffiths, a critically acclaimed cabaret and musical theatre performer. He made a spectacular cabaret debut at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival last year with In Vogue: Songs by Madonna. Following his success, he is now touring the show to Melbourne, New York City and Sydney. He will document his time on the road on his tour diary for the next two months.

Me backstage at Carnival, keeping those nasty UV rays at bay

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Today marked my Melbourne IN VOGUE: SONGS BY MADONNA debut! It’s been a long time coming since we premiered in Adelaide last June at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival with a Sydney performance following shortly after.

Admittedly, it was only a teaser but we’ll pay it regardless. I sang “Open Your Heart”, spoke a little about the show and was joined by the incredible Josie Lane for a duet of “Crazy For You” at Midsumma’s Carnivale in the gardens beyond Federation Square. Happily it was a gorgeous summer’s day in Melbourne and a few thousand gay and lesbian folk descended on Birrarung Marr for an afternoon of entertainment in the sun. I felt very much in character as the Queen of Pop, parading around the venue with my parasol to keep those dangerous UV rays at bay!

The stars have been aligning for this trip since the Jersey Boys Sydney season closing date was announced late last year. With Midsumma falling squarely in the break, it certainly felt like the ideal platform for Madge to make a sojourn south of the border. 

I was so thrilled with how the season in Adelaide played out and the subsequent ‘one-night-only’ at Sydney’s Slide but with the sum of all those performances being a total of only four, I am quite convinced that the show is yet to hit it’s stride. The prospect of a proper two-week run is thrilling (and terrifying at the same time with all those extra seats to sell - we’re currently sitting at around 20%).

Today was a great opportunity to increase awareness of the show in Melbourne as we head towards its official opening night this Thursday on the 19th which Dean Bryant, my writer/director and partner in crime has been busily coordinating. I’ve had great exposure in the press these last couple of weeks. With posters put up all around town and a few guest spots on JOY FM throughout the week, I feel we’re on the right track.

As a happy coincidence, Madonna’s new single “Gimme All Your Luvin” is released today and her film W.E. is out soon, so she is well and truly back in the spotlight. It was wonderful to sing with Josie again - we’ve not sung together since the Sydney performance, so “Crazy For You” was such a highlight. I’m also really excited about how the show will sit in our new venue 45 downstairs on Flinders Lane. It’s synonymous with contemporary art exhibitions, installations and the like - I think it will bring a touch of a highbrow to IN VOGUE, accentuating the show’s more theatrical and absurd notions.

Tomorrow is the first day of ‘set up’ in the venue before we ‘tech’ on Tuesday. I am not officially required but I will swing by after my spot on JOY FM to say hi to the crew, check out the grand piano and start getting a handle on the space. 

I was pooped after today’s proceedings so when I got back, I settled down with a cup of tea and watched a little more of The Slap! 

Reviews:

“He creates a sense of togetherness in the room, reminding audiences that pop songs aren’t popular because they’re ordinary or vacuous, but because of the joy and connectedness that they inspire in the people who hear them. To miss this show would be even more of a crime than Madonna’s cover of ‘American Pie’.”

Click here to read the Four and a half-star review by ArtsHub reviewer Aleksia Barron.

“Griffiths’ charming and impish performance sheds new light on Madonna’s songs and career…”- Kate Herbert

Click here to read the four-star review by Sun Herald reviewer Kate Herbert.

“With some impressive arrangements for piano, Griffiths gives the music and lyrics a considerable lift, and together with some clever monologues, injects a lot of humour” - Australian Stage

Click here to read the full review by Vito Mattarelli. 

Michael Griffiths in In Vogue: Songs by Madonna

Melbourne season as part of the Midsumma Festival at 45 Downstairs: For tickets and show info, click here.

New York season at Don’t Tell Mama: For tickets and show info, click here.

Sydney season as part of the Slide Cabaret Festival: For tickets and show info, click here.

Read his interview with Cabaret Confessional here.

Michael Griffiths Bio:

Performing Arts (WAAPA) with a Bachelor in Music Theatre in 1999 and has a Diploma in Music Composition. Michael is currently performing in Sydney in Jersey Boys. Before this Michael toured Australia and New Zealand in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Michael performed in the Australian and Japanese tour of We Will Rock You!, appeared in the original Australian cast of Shout! and was in the original workshop for the new Australian musical Prodigal. Michael has performed cabaret at Sydney’s legendary Showqueen at the Supper Club and for Koookaburra’s Up Close and Musical series. He enjoyed a sold-out season with his cabaret debut In Vogue: Songs by Madonna at the 2011 Adelaide Cabaret Festival. 

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary series

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 1 - Melbourne debut

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 2 - Preparations

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 3 - Mirror Ball

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 4 - The Audience

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 5 - A Collaboration

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 6 - NYC Bound

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 7 -  The Takeoff

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 8 - New York Debut

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 9 - Priscilla

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 10 - Shows and more shows

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 11 - The homecoming

Michael Griffiths’ Cabaret Tour Diary Part 12 - Farewell

Related post:

Interview: Michael Griffiths salutes Madonna

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