It’s not me, it’s you

What does a thirty-something woman with a long list of romantic failures behind her do for therapy? If you are cabaret performer Lucienne Weber, you write a show about it. Incorporating many well-known show tunes into her hour performance, Weber takes us on a journey of self-discovery, with a narrative that pokes fun at the dating game.

The intimate venue is a perfect backdrop for Weber’s tale of love and loss. A single chair next to a side table laden with self-help books on love and how to find it, and dim lighting gives the show a personal feel, as though we are dining with an old friend.

Weber, accompanied on piano by Jason Hammond, lends her voice to ballads from Oliver!, Oklahoma, Les Misérables, Mack and Mabel and many other familiar musicals. It can’t be easy to pull off a one-woman show; you must be confident in your abilities and the material. It was evident that there were a few opening night jitters as Weber’s speaking voice was shaky in the beginning. Tackling some vocally difficult songs with mixed results meant that the show lost momentum at times.

Weber is likeable and this allowed the audience to empathise with her character-building tales. ‘What I did for Love’ from the musical A Chorus Line and ‘Touch Me’ from The Rocky Horror Show were highlights. Unfortunately Weber failed to reach the high notes in the standard ‘On My Own’ from Les Misérables, a problem that could have been fixed with tinkering of the musical arrangement.

Joining Weber on stage for a couple of tunes was her brother Chris Weber; he played a mean trumpet and it would have been lovely to hear more of his talent incorporated into the show.

All things considered the concept was sound; it tied together well with songs that told a story. Weber’s delivery was spot on and with a little fine-tuning this show has the potential to be an entertaining hour of fun.

Kerry Cooper