THE DIVINE MISS BETTE
THE DIVINE MISS BETTE, Slide Cabaret Club, Oxford Street– various dates. Dinner and show – $65, 7pm; show only – $25, 9pm.
The Slide used to be a branch of the Commonwealth Bank, apparently, which is hard to imagine because these days it’s a rather sassy cabaret lounge and the bar and restaurant are much more appealing than a money shop. At the same time, it’s equally tricky to imagine it as a reincarnation of New York’s Continental Baths, except when The Divine Miss Bette is in residence.
And these days she’s in residence in more ways than one. The hi-energy, non-stop one-hour celebration of the early days of Bette Midler has been one of the highlights of the past couple of months at the Slide. The remarkable Ms Catherine Alcorn channels her with uncanny accuracy and verve. Not surprising, then, to learn that this facet of her talent was discovered by Steve Ostrow . And in case you’re wondering, he was the man behind the Baths who gave Midler her first gig, singing for tips.
More recently Ostrow has been giving Alcorn vocal tips and the result is one of the best cabaret shows to arrive in Sydney this year. Bette/Cate concentrate on pre-utterly world famous Midler so we get the (in)famous performer – celebrating Sophie Tucker’s brand of bawdy and blue ‘tween-songs patter – as well as the fabled songs and style.
The show is like a snort of something expensive and naughty – but without all the unwelcome side effects. It’s full of music and laughter and Bette/Cate is sumptuously backed by a full orchestra (in a MacBook) and pianist Isaac Hayward and the sassy, sexy Harlettes (Lauren Cook and Christina Paterno).
When the rattletrap trollop “Soph” intones “Lay-dees and uh germs! We are uh falling into a uh vat of vulgarity!” You know to sit back, grab a glass of something sparkly and enjoy the ride: it’s a cracking fine one and no mistake. WATCH OUT FOR NEW DATES.
