Adelaide Fringe. Anya Anastasia. 7 March
A star falls. Sort of. Well, a little bit maybe, involving a lot of riotousness, outrageousness and thundering hilarity.
Anya Anastasia: The Show is storied Adelaide cabaret star Anya Anastasia’s farewell to cabaret. This show is just her being herself in a wild style show, which might bring to mind for some Tim Curry’s husky, sad lyric feels as Frankenfurter, “whatever happened to Fay Wray?”
Well Anya kinda went off the deep end in a battle with cabaret versus burlesque, demands of the biz and the twists and turns off life.
There’s hope of sorts. Her electric piano is adorned with gold lettering, ‘cabaret star for hire’ and the ever faithful ukulele brings her back to career beginnings in the sweetest way for long term fans.
Anastasia attacks what she’s leaving and what she’s lived with the most intensely concentrated delivery of a decades long, well-honed comic schtick, downright lyric emotional honesty, and physical comedy. There’s sadness and deep vulnerability hidden behind this blindingly brilliant comitragic performance.
Deep down, there’s a bitter-sweetness to this thrilling hour that makes you understand the universal feeling ‘what do I have to do to get a break around here?’
David O’Brien
5 Stars
When: 1 to 16 Mar
Where: Gluttony, The Masonic Lodge, Phoenix Room
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
