Paul Capsis – Dry My Tears

Cabaret performer extraordinaire Paul Capsis returns to the stage at fortyfivedownstairs with a very intimate and personal performance. He is accompanied by The Song Company's Francis Greep on grand piano and performs an acoustic set of cabaret, jazz, and ragtime classics by Kurt Weill, John Kander, Billy Joel, Elton John, Melody Gardot and Johnny Mercer with influences from Marianne Faithfull, Jimmy Scott, and Nina Simone. Capsis has an incredibly versatile and unique voice that is able to create beautiful renditions of a vast range of songs and styles.

This is an entirely acoustic show that is very raw and while Capsis delights his audience with his flamboyant persona the stage and the setting is very simple and direct. The lighting highlights the incredibly expressive contours of all his vibrant expressions. Capsis relies on a strong rapport with the audience and by the end of the show he completely captivates the entire auditorium. Dry My Tears may appear to have a melancholic tone, given some of the dark nature of the songs, but Capsis keeps the show upbeat and bright. This is achieved via his charming persona combined with an instinctive and sensual sense of rhythm and movement.

The show emerges from a collaboration with Greep on a performance work called Skin Deep which was presented as part of the 2021 Mardi Gras Festival. The development into this cabaret show is a testament to the mutual respect and admiration between the two performers. This creates a very tailored and in-depth exploration of their respective remarkable talents.

Patricia Di Risio 

Photographer: Jacquie Manning