Soiree Cabaret Starring Kara Zmatiq
If you get a chance to see Kara Zmatiq then do so. The Queen is simply fantastic.
Kara Zmatiq and circus aerialists Tyler Heath and Alex Doyle certainly brought the magic, talent, and WOW factor to an entertaining evening filled with song and dazzling displays of aerial artistry. Kara Zmatiq is billed as a "live singing drag queen" (as opposed to the usual lip-syncing ones) but they are so much more. Not just a singer, they are also an interpreter of songs. And they CAN SING, with a voice that is charming to hear. I was enchanted by how they took standard up-tempo dance hits and not only made them their own, but turned them into part of the story of the set. At the risk of getting flamed by the true believers, I thought Kara Zmatiq did a better job of Madonna's songs than Madonna herself (for a start, their diction and phrasing are better than Madonna's).
Kara Zmatiq and their troupe keep everything classy and stylish (except for the well-timed and funny f-bomb at the end of the last set), and by that I mean the costumes, make up, and wigs were not the usual OTT panto dame fantasy but focused on the glamorous (even the purple lizard outfit kept it classy). The glue between the songs was not the usual innuendo-filled fare but relied on being light and sincere (I'm sure if Kara Zmatiq did an R-rated show then it would be just as entertaining - though for very different reasons).
In this regard praise must also be given to Tyler Heath and Alex Doyle. There were no vulgar displays of crotch thrusting or otherwise cheap sexualised moves but instead we were held spellbound by the aerial magic these two artists created.
All this was combined in sets that focused on keeping things fun, up-tempo, and entertaining the audience.
On top of that, the three course meal was indeed sumptuous,, and my compliments to the chef and the wait staff for the serving and quality of the food.
I do have a criticism, but it had nothing to do with the performers. The show had two overly long intervals (one went longer than the sets). It had nothing to do with serving the food and clearing the plates, because that happened during the performance and didn't interfere with the entertainment. No explanation was given for why the intervals were so long, but I did find out that this was not in the control of the organisers but imposed by venue management.
While we were left wanting more by the end of each set, it was the Intervals of Eternity that killed the vibe. I iterate, this was NOT the fault of the performers, and out of their control.
Having said that, it's a credit to the talent and ability of Kara Zmatiq, Tyler, and Alex, that they were able to regain the vibe and get the crowd entertained again, uphill battle though it was.
Kara Zmatiq is pure magic. Highly recommended.
Peter Novakovich
PS: A word of advice, should these stars again play this venue (and I hope they do), then don't do as I did and drive in. Use public transport. The car park under the venue is one of those tight rabbit warrens with turning circles suitable for nothing bigger than a matchbox car. The experience of trying to find parking there was "entertaining" and worthy of a review in itself.
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