Under the fairy lights at the Woodville Town Hall last night, No Strings Attached Theatre Of Disability produced a gala event of musical performances in the key of cabaret.
After CEO Kari Seeley opened formalities briefly, MCs Catherine and Paddy took over and kept the night moving with cheeky badinage. And a shout out to the backstage crew. They worked like a well-oiled machine, putting many big name gala nights to shame.
Lucy Lopez Rivera opened proceedings in a flowing, red evening dress, with a repertoire of siren songs, such as The Greatest Love Of All.
Then Aimee Crathern took to the stage, and she turned heads, not just for her glittering gold dress, but her powerful voice which seemed to have a range from the deepest lows to the highest highs.
Crathern’s rendition of All That Jazz was a show stopper. The pacing, the power, the poise; it was breathtaking and on its own was worth three times the ticket price. It was a beautiful juxtaposition against I Don’t Know How To Love Him; a soulful version of the ballad that she sang often with her dad when she was younger.
She was then joined on stage by the rest of the Sisters Of Invention, fresh from their Adelaide Cabaret Festival performance.
What Crathers delivered during her solo performances (intimacy and sensual potency), the Sisters complemented with their ability to fill the hall with power-ballad majesty. Their harmonies were especially showcased during a medley which included a memorable fragment of The Voice.
And voice was certainly given full flight from the No Strings performers.
In the second act, international pianist, Kym Purling, had the audience transfixed with his jazz piano mastery, ably accompanied by Dylan Paul on double bass and John McDermott on drums.
While Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm set a good opening pace, Purling’s arrangement of Danny Boy brought the house to a tear-filled stand still. And then he surprised us with a jazzed-up version of Johnny Comes Marching Home, complete with a drum solo that caused civil war within the kit!
Another deeply satisfying night of entertainment conjured by No Strings Attached Theatre Of Disability.