Nailed It!

If the words 'modest', 'intelligent', and 'likeable' describe your ideal theoretical cabaret evening, then Andrew Strano may be the one who hits (nails?) the spot for you. On the other hand, you'll also need to be prepared to deal with some startling content that pushes against conventional boundaries.

As a performer, Strano embodies attributes that are somewhat contradictory. Decidedly unthreatening in his bespectacled appearance, he has the ability to surprise you with lyrics that border on shocking. He is not merely a confrontationist, though; a number of his chosen topics - which include the practical consequences of substandard service on budget airlines, as well as Harry Potter fandom - are on the benign side.

Strano's musical repertoire is original material, ranging in mood from brashly upbeat to thoughtfully reflective to sincerely poignant. His between-song jokes, narration, and banter are generally mild but mostly cute. He is gently antagonised from time to time by his accompanying pianist. The stories he shares with us are sometimes straightforwardly literal, but at other times, cleverly metaphorical.

It is a tricky task indeed to fuse genuine life wisdom (in the form of witty words) with a sense of musicality that can carry a show; Andrew Strano scores high in this regard. Whether his tales are autobiographical is ultimately beside the point, because he makes them compelling regardless; Strano's air of sincerity combines with the seemingly personal, intimate scope of his song writing to bring you something pleasurable and rewarding.

This reviewer connected with Andrew Strano as a persona far more than he did with the previous cabaret artist he was sent to appraise, but it has to be conceded that the generally calm dynamics of Strano's presentation occasionally dipped to a level that ran him the risk of losing his audience. Ultimately, he manages to make the art of modesty into a viable, endearing mode for a cabaret performer.

Anthony Vawser

Photographer: Kurt Sneddon