In DIVALICIOUS –LICENCE TO TRILL, two devious divas apply James Bond tactics as they try to outwit, out sing and out trill each other.
Since they became nationally known in their DivaLicious performances on TV’s “Australia’s Got Talent” and “The Voice”, these two opera-trained sopranos, Fiona Cooper Smyth and Penny Shaw, have expanded their corporate repertoire and toured their two shows ‘Opera Rocks’ (reviewed in Sydney Arts Guide in 2015) and ‘Licence to Trill’.
Flirtatious and audacious, they flaunt their ambition and other attributes to capture variously the hearts, minds, votes and wallets of their audiences and audition judges.
Though operating as a duo, they each try to be the only diva on stage. They admit that they were and still are “divas-in-waiting” with the song, “I dreamed a dream” from Les Miserables.
The show tells of their musical history, with all its highs and lows. They mix musicals, light and more traditional opera, enchanting the audience. Well-known opera arias by Mozart and Puccini are followed by James Bond film scores. These are rounded off by crossover vocal hits. The voices are well trained and rehearsed. They blend well in harmony, and the spoken parts are delivered with conviction. Throughout their accompanist, pianist and coach, David Wickam gives solid support, only being “allowed” his own solo during ‘half time’.
On occasions, modified lyrics add relevance and poignancy. Visual and physical gags spice up the act. Decorum is maintained with glorious dress costumes from their onstage dressing room. The room is full of sumptuous red draped velvet and glitz, but the true sparkle comes from the interaction of the divas.
The cattiness is worked through during their history, and whilst it almost becomes deadly, in the end they have moved from rivals to friends. The audience is left on a high note, with a splash of champagne. The trills of winning voices and spills of blood, sweat, tears and champagne make this a winning humourous tale of amicable rivalry, one to be savoured note by note.
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/divalicious_2016.aspx