Arts

Cabaret Festival Review: Harry Shearer and Judith Owen. This Infernal Racket

Harry Shearer and Judith Owen are performers who just happen to be married – so what better than to perform together.

Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed 16 June 2016

Husband and wife, Harry Shearer and Judith Owen are both hard-working artists who have often got in amongst each other’s work: Shearer has played upright bass on Owen’s albums; Owen has voiced characters in the Simpsons. Owen explains that had they not done this, they would “hardly ever see each other.”

So it’s nice that they’ve decided to put on a show together for some quality, marital time!

Judith Owen writes lilting, jazz-informed ballads and sings them sublimely. Shearer writes satirical numbers which are highly forgiving of the fact that he is no singer. They explain at the outset that they each have their own “infernal racket”. Shearer, having a political/journalistic background, has the racket of politics and social justice. Owen’s racket is more to do with the black dog and dysfunctional families. And this is reflected in their differing work. Owen gave us soulful songs about love, loss and the pointless search for fame. Shearer’s numbers covered such topics as Donald Trump’s narcissism, Madonna’s new role as “booze endorser” and the penchant of certain paedophile priests for “deaf boys”.

Supporting Owen and Shearer were three outstanding musicians: Leland Sklar on bass, Pedro Segundo on percussion and C J Vanston on keyboard.

Owen and Shearer are two highly talented professionals. However they seemed to have no reason to be on the same stage together, except for the fact that they are married. For most of the show, one would perform while the other sat on the side. Then they’d swap. The two bodies of work seem unrelated in theme or style, and the evening played out more like a very good school concert, than a well-developed cabaret show. It needed some gel such as a story-line or a thematic thread.

It would be great to see these two put something more homogenous together to better reflect their amazing talents.

Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
Twitter: @TraceyKorsten

Rating (out of 5): 4

Venue: Dunstan Playhouse
Season: 16-17 June
Duration: 70 minutes
Tickets: $49.90- $69.90
Bookings: Book online through the Adelaide Cabaret Festival website or phone BASS on 131 246

http://harryshearer.com/

http://www.judithowen.net/

 

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