Baroness Bianka's Bloodsongs

8 August 2014 | 12:36 pm | Milly Ellen

An accordion, a decanter brimming with Bloody Mary and a woman wearing red velvet boots steps on stage and fills the room with laughter. Joanna Weinberg sniffs dramatically into her microphone, announcing a definitive aroma of AB-positive blood is in the air. The hypnotically original medley of jazz cabaret numbers and uproarious monologues that follows transforms the red-rimmed room into the pages of Baroness Bianka’s diary.

The Baroness tells her story of addiction to the ‘essence of life’ through a Queen remix and a tango dedicated to sexual masochism, among other lyrical gems, and flawlessly maintains her faux-Eastern European accent and ability to yodel throughout. An elaborate tale of aristocratic lineage is detailed in the Baroness’ attempt to trace the source of her debilitating compulsion to bathe in blood, and the authenticity of Weinberg’s performance is both disarmingly disturbing and hilarious.

Weinberg’s vocal range is startlingly impressive and her commitment to the role is unfaltering. The active dialogue with the audience and encouragement to clap along with the Baroness’ sentimental odes to blood feel slightly macabre in the opening melodies, yet develop into a cheery celebration of the dependencies and flaws that make us human. Lisa Freshwater has directed this innovative piece with unfaultable aplomb, guaranteeing a conversation about the social acceptance of our idiosyncrasies.