Hi Alex. Your acclaimed cabaret covers the life and talents of Meryl Streep – what drew you to use her as subject matter?
I found it to be an easy choice. Meryl represents all that is good and holy. She’s almost other worldly she’s that good. Quickly she became the vessel for a story of a 17 year old girl who feels out of place in her own life but through her love of Meryl Streep she finds her bravery and discovers that she is capable of more than what perhaps is perceived.
You’ve got music from ABBA, Sondheim and Ray Charles on board for the performance, how are these tunes going to complement the cabaret?
Every song in the show is one that Meryl has sung herself in films or on stage, some more obscure than others. Those who aren’t as devoted to Meryl as I am, I feel will be surprised to realise just how often she sings.
You’ve run this show previously, correct?
I did the show a year ago in Melbourne at The Butterfly Club. My first cabaret and I was so nervous I gave myself a cold, lost my voice and thought it was the dumbest idea I’d ever had. Alas, thankfully, people seemed to really enjoy themselves and my voice held out long enough to do the 5 shows.
If there’s one thing you’re hoping people will take away from the performance, what would that one thing be?
Meryl has said “The minute you start caring about what people think, is the minute you stop being yourself.” Everything I write, is in some element, about self discovery and learning to be okay with who you are. That’s the show for me and that’s why I really like performing it. So hopefully people take away that… and that I’m incredibly talented.
