Reuben Kaye
16th June 2019
Wintergarden, The Civic, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Feature Photograph by Ayesha Hussein.
The definition of cabaret is often referred to as a form of theatrical entertainment which features such elements as music, drama, song and dance. But when it comes to the award-winning master of ceremonies Reuben Kaye, you get so. much. more.
Appearing as part of Auckland Live’s 2019 Cabaret season, the Australian born–London based Kaye is the epitome of everything that is sensationally delicious; a towering juggernaut of devastating wit, with a great set of lungs and Rabelaisian humour that will leave both your ribs and cheeks sore but sated.
Dressed in perfectly creased black pants, starched white shirt and an embellished ruby jacket that as Kaye informs the crowd himself screams ‘Mother I have something to tell you’, he merges the aesthetics of traditional drag with the 1920’s Weimar cabaret scene; the make-up, the vermilion lips and mile long lashes drenched in mascara and kohl a form of hyper-masculinity. It is Kaye’s way of embracing both his masculine and feminine sides while denying those who wish to define him and what he does the ability to do so. Even his microphones get in on the act, each adorned with a glistening long ponytail of hair.
The son of an East German ballerina and a Russian artist, Kaye was raised with the arts firmly embedded in his upbringing, and it shows; what other artist could incorporate such names as Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Da Vinci and Bernini into a show while adding in a brief but beautiful synopsis of the opera Manon?
Yes, this is a show filled not only with side-splitting performances, but poignant moments revolving around his life-story, brushed with brilliant social commentary; such as his oh so subtle line of explanation directed at the heterosexual men in the audience on the topic of consent. Indeed, no territory is off limits for Reuben Kaye darling. Why? Because he sees cabaret, and in particular his cabaret show, as ‘the great equalizer’, where no hierarchy exists. Any and all audience members are – regardless of where they perch on the gender/sexuality/denomination ladder – welcome.
Accompanied by his three-piece band affectionately referred to as ‘the K Holes’ who are led by the rather talented musical director Shanon D Whitelock on grand piano, Kaye takes the room through a reworked version of The Eurythmics ‘Missionary Man’ that with a Fred Astaire side-step, morphs smoothly into a razzle dazzle version of ZZ Top’s ‘Sharp Dressed Man’; a touch of The Doors ‘Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)’ mixed in for good measure. Make no mistake, Kaye can sing, his vocals one that command attention, and that stand on their own when the band stops on a dime and he dives head first into acapella. Moments of vibrato are finished with tantalizing, spine-tingling growls ensuring that all eyes follow his every move as he sashays between the tables in five-inch heels, every so often engaging with his captivated attendees but never so much as to overpower the crux of the show.
Once again brandishing some risqué comedy that throughout the night has taken some claws-out, tongue in cheek swipes at both the historic venue and city of Auckland itself, Kaye works into his monologue that he is Jew-ish while simultaneously taking a bite out of the Catholic church. He segues into a show-stopping version of the Charles Aznavour / Herbert Kretzmer song ‘Sailor Boys’ made infamous by Liza Minelli and impressively turns the track on its head by using it as a vehicle to briefly yet cleverly question social and gender constructs. The audience are left star struck by this high calibre artist who can seamlessly pull together so much in one show without it ever feeling congested or rushed.
The finale which tells the touching story of a high school incident that sees Reuben Kaye rise like a phoenix from the ashes, mascara wand and concealer grasped firmly in hand through his version of ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Kate Bush results in an explosion of applause. His first encore which involves a costume change, an impressive parody-come-satire-come-art rendition of Iggy Azaleas ‘Fancy’ and a speech on the *cough* dissimilarities between England and Australia when it comes to conservative leadership, foreign policy decrees that “betray the true racism of the country” and environmental decisions that are raping the very land upon which they live, proving that Kaye is not only sagacious but more than well-deserving of the several awards he has garnered.
How does one possibly top that? Well with a final encore that sees Kaye emerge encased in his most flamboyant outfit of the evening to deliver his “alternate” version of the Australian National Anthem; Men At Work’s ‘Down Under’ delivered ballad style, an appropriate song whose lyrics speak of the plundering of Australia by those with nothing but greed in their hearts and the loss of a country’s spirit.
Yes, Reuben Kaye’s self-titled show is more than just titillating humour on a Friday night, it is sophisticated and intellectual cabaret of the highest order that more than anything provides a glimmer of hope for the future.
Were you there at the Wintergarden for this brilliant cabaret show? Or have you seen Reuben Kaye perform live somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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