Michael Griffiths' Cabaret Tour Diary Part 5 - A Collaboration

Last Saturday nights audience filing in under the mirror ball

Friday January 27, 2012

I’m having a wonderful week so far. The days are going by in the usual fashion - Proud Mary for breakfast, an hour of practice in the space and a big swim to run through the show in my head. What’s making it really special are the evenings - the crowds are full and the show gets better with every performance, I couldn’t be happier!

Also, the reviews are in this week - 4 stars from the Herald Sun and 4.5 stars from ArtsHub - an absolute rave. It reads like it may have been written by my mother (arguably my biggest fan), but it’s actually penned by arts writer Aleksia Barron and is almost too good to be true. These reviews, plus good word of mouth have made this second week virtually sold out. Saturday night is already at capacity but we do have room for the handful of walk-ins that we expect tonight. 

Dean was scheduled to fly to Brazil early this week to mount the local production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical of which he is the Associate Director. Happily for me, there’s been a little visa upset meaning he doesn’t fly until tomorrow so I’ve had him on hand for little notes and refinements. 

He’s been in both shows this week and sweetly (and perhaps a little strangely) had the biggest laughs in the room, even though he knows the jokes are coming a mile away! I think it’s because he takes such delight with an unsuspecting audience and their response to the saucier moments in our show. 

We did a proper notes section on Wednesday, creating a new segue and adding a couple of ‘buttons’; a finishing comment on a chapter in the show, usually to evoke a laugh. My folks flew in from Adelaide yesterday to see the show and it was a treat having them in with such a great crowd.

Indulge me while I get a little philosophical. Doing this show, a collaboration with my dear friend, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’ve had a great run over the last ten years doing big scale musicals (admittedly, as the ensemble member at the back who understudies everyone), I’ve had a real blast and made fantastic friends. But I’ve never enjoyed time spent on a stage as much I have playing The Queen of Pop each night. I’ve been pondering this all morning as to why this is, and it’s because of two main reasons.

Firstly, it’s an opportunity to combine my very specific skills and use them together - namely playing my own piano arrangements and singing pop songs. I’m never going to be employed for my dancing skills (although, I have been, and ended up hidden up at the back!). I’d pretty much given up on playing the piano a few years ago and it was only because Dean insisted that I accompany myself for this little project that I have become reacquainted with it and I’d forgotten how much joy it brings me.

Secondly, it’s about being part of the creative process and the extra personal investment this demands. I’ve never worked so hard at anything before. The show has been a true collaboration between Dean and I. Neither of us has settled for anything less than the absolute best from each other. Sitting at the piano singing Madonna songs in front of a captive audience have been some of the happiest hours of my life.

I’m now keen to rip up these last two shows then I better start thinking about NYC!

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 fortyfivedownstairs: 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.

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.

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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