Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Artspace. 9 Jun 2017
Gillian Cosgriff’s return to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival after her debut six years ago reveals a greatly matured artist since then. To The Moon and Back is at once light hearted, glamorous, laid back, philosophical, poignant and wonderfully silly.
That’s a lot to cram into an hour in a show about space, and a tall order to run it all smooth as butter.
Cosgriff achieves the task because at the core of the performance is her breezy laid back Queensland spirit taking things on with a confident calm and always with a smile and solid direction, ensuring every possibility in her writing has been given life.
Space is a big thing. It can be small too. Cosgriff really dives into her subject with gusto, obsessive gusto. Clad in space suit white, Cosgriff merrily quips away. How we get from the usual things about space to the origins of our species is wonderfully bewildering.
Musically, the production is huge fun. What a ball Cosgriff has with a Roland synthesiser, running out a fantastic set of songs each in total contrast to the other, dealing with quirky space play mates to deeper stuff, plus playfully mucking around with a set of effects foot pedals.
I’m pretty sure Adelaide will love Gillian Cosgriff to the moon and back after the warm embrace of this production.
David O’Brien
When: 9 to 11 Jun
Where: Artspace
Bookings: bass.net.au
