Adelaide Fringe. The Garden of Unearthly Delights. Paradiso Spiegeltent. 5 Mar 2013
Amity Dry is currently riding a wave of national popularity along with her husband Phil on the Block All-Stars, screening on television weekly around the country; but this fame will be short lived, and that is exactly what Dry has written a cabaret show about. Her Adelaide Fringe show entitled ‘So You Want To Be Famous’ takes an introspective look at the singers’ rise to fame and the epiphany she experienced when fame was whipped out from under her like the proverbial rug.
Fans of the Block series would attest to the couple’s likeability on screen. They are a very natural pair, gentle yet driven, and very enjoyable to watch. Dry’s start to this show was a nervous one however, and it took an incident of memory block to help her shake off the nerves and let her endearing personality shine thorough. Vocally however, she was on song from the get go. Amity’s speaking voice is quite unique; a little husky and with a wonderful tonal depth – this translates into a gorgeous singing voice that is loaded with personality and which you could listen to for hours. Her strength as a singer is in her vocal qualities – the audience doesn’t need razzle-dazzle and theatrics because vocally she provides it in spades.
The show consisted of some covers and a few of her own songs that thematically tied the story together. I couldn’t help wishing she was backed by a grand piano and small ensemble of violins and brass instruments. Despite her full vocal tonality, the songs sometimes felt a little empty – even with a slight echo and some layering by the sound tech. I would love to see Dry out the front of a small orchestra singing show tunes and her own home-grown ballads (maybe she will read this and I’ll get my wish!)
There is no doubt this little cabaret gem will warm the cockles of your heart, though. Dry really tells it like it is and wears her heart on her sleeve. She is humble, and honest, and you can’t help feeling proud that she got what she wanted – and then got everything else too! If you couldn’t tell from watching The Block that she loves her family, especially her two children, then you will know it by the end of this show. I personally never worked up much interest in her pop career, but since her foray into musical theatre – and particularly writing her own show Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life – I honestly believe Dry has found her niche; with her musical set to tour the eastern states from May this year, let’s hope she continues to exploit it!
If you enjoy watching Amity and Phil on The Block, and you feel like you know the couple pretty well from television, I encourage you to get along and see this show for its last performance Tuesday night 6th March at 10.15pm. I promise you will enjoy getting to know Amity a little better, and hearing her story!
Paul Rodda
When: 6 Mar 2013
Where: The Garden of Unearthly Delights – Paradiso Spiegeltent
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
