Babushka: Doll

It was cabaret night at the Judy this last week with a trio of ladies flaunting their post academic frustrations of varying talents with an evening of anything from opera to pop/rock in a Where-Do-I-Go I-Can-Do-That theatrical bash with a doll theme.

Being a creative collaboration between the artists themselves and the production team this was a personal exposé of women in contemporary society today, touching on elements of feminism, image, career and motherhood (and the mortgage)

Accompanied by Luke Volker at the piano these songbirds ploughed their way through succession of well arranged vocal pieces in a somewhat confusin display not always exactly fit for the Royal Gala but certainly full of exuberance and notoriety.

Alicia Cush's transformation from Olympia, the doll from Tales of Hoffmann, to a punk rock belter was somewhat mesmerising, though the script in general left one wondering at times where this show was going, including the need for some tweaking of the comedic display in the latter half.

However, it was good to see the girls' creative juices flowing for a night of fun and frivolity and one can't disparage the time and devotion that glared between the colourful lighting and stage presentation.

Not exactly a show for those who prefer subtlety, Dolls, unlike the blurb, would definitely have had Ken and Barbie looking too, with batteries included. Pity Mother Nature didn't adorn the female lyrebird in pink, all upstaging aside.

Brian Adamson