If Lally Katz could hold a note, she would have made a brilliant cabaret artist. The performer comes replete with confidence, clarity and control. Costume changes are nothing. Deadpan irony a breeze. And, as we know from her voluminous body of written work, she weaves stories with Class-A characters, humour and inviting, bright-eyed innocence. Everyone can get on board. Stories I Want to Tell You In Person is Katz's solo show debut, and what a wonder that fact is. As she tells us in the show itself, it was only after a string of near-misses in her love and professional life that the idea to perform in one of her own shows re-emerged as a realistic option. It's an attempt to turn a series of failures into “something that works”. And this show does work, especially if you're a Katz fan. Her impersonations are superb and turn vividly written characters from her life into vibrant on-stage presences. A nod must go to director Anne-Louise Sarks for wrangling Katz's untrained acting body so successfully. There's no set, save for a couple of chairs and a shimmery, gold backdrop, but the lighting, sound and direction hone sharp focus on a 'meta' string of tales which link up Kew, New York and Katz's mind with the person that commands the stage.
'An Evening With Elton John And Brandi Carlile' Concert Special Heading To SBS This New Year's Eve
