The Stage

Meow Meow Beyond Glamour: The Absinthe Tour

Published Wednesday 24 March 2010 at 17:10 by Paul Vale

Meow Meow first came to our attention after a much-lauded appearance with La Clique last year. Perhaps the most bemusing thing about this cabaret act is why Meow Meow has not followed a more classical career.

That is not to suggest that the act suffers from its perverse sense of comedy, it is simply that her singing voice, a mellifluous contralto with an astounding belt, could easily support a career on the international cabaret circuit.

How much mileage there is in the act is difficult to tell although thankfully the backbone of the evening is very much the singer and her repertoire.

Rather than simply letting her selection of haunting musical numbers wash over us, we are treated to Meow Meow’s peculiar style of kamikaze cabaret where amongst other things she body surfs the crowds of the Soho theatre, steals their drinks and berates them like naughty school children whilst using them in her act.

Thankfully her timing is exquisite and the comedy routine, a fragile diva with anger issues, brings the house down. Whilst Meow Meow’s heritage appears to be shrouded in mystery, her delivery is something akin to Mary Poppins on acid, or would that be mephedrone?

The real talent however is her voice and whatever one may think of her delivery, Meow Meow’s choices are immaculate with a line up that includes a heady mixture of Brecht, Brel and a touch of Bowie for good measure.

Sterling support comes in the shape of piano accompanist, the very patient Lance Horne and an evidently unflappable follow-spot operator.

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