Despite its venomous title, BECOMING POISON is a very gentle experience. Most cabaret shows hit you over the head with a rolled up toe-tapper right at the off. Instead, we are treated to two quiet ballads to ease us into a musical floriade of Jazz, folk, contemporary pop and music theatre.
BECOMING POISON is a concept from the mind of Sydney Fringe favourite, Holly Summers- Clarke. With Rodney Fisher (writer/director) and Joel Jenkins (musical director) as her collaborators, she attempts to rehabilitate that super villain and Batman nemesis, Poison Ivy. In this imagining, Ivy is an eco-warrior rescuing the flora of the earth from its human enemies … one poisonous kiss at a time.
The Poison Ivy character really only appears towards the end of this show. Initially we meet Hedera, a botanist who arrives late to talk to a group of ‘gardening freaks’. Real gardening freaks would know that Hedera is the botanical name for Ivy and that Demeter is the goddess of growing things. Her disdain for the audience’s lack of knowledge is clear. What is also clear, is the character that Summers-Clarke inhabits. “Holy Church of the Lord” she declares. She’s just a down home girl with a sad background and beautiful eyes.
Her performance has good acting at its heart and this is why the dialogue blends so well into the songs. Fisher’s well written text smoothly elides into the middle of verses or between choruses and Summers-Clarke has tight technical control over the silences inevitable in slow melodies. Even in the torch song “Last Farewell” when she stands framed by simple black wall, she just exists when not singing. It gives the audience a chance to enjoy the fine piano.
Her voice is just lovely. Rich, throaty deep notes and soaring flat-tongued tops. Her interpretation of a song like, “The Way You Look Tonight” lays down a blanket of calm. But she does occasionally let her voice fly, in a song like “That’s Why Momma Left Us.” and it is perfectly placed. Bar Me at The El Rocco Kings Cross is a small venue, too much would be way too much. Her judgement is perfect.
The show does have audience participation, a sexy costume change, a craftily designed tacky ambiance and even a lesbian subplot. It is a cabaret after all. But for me it was a loving and enjoyable night out. Sadly, this show has now closed but keep an eye out for its return. I encourage them to reprise it.
BECOMING POISON played the El Rocco Room (formally known as Bar Me), 154 Brougham Street, Potts Point, on the 16th, 19th and 23rd October, 2014.