An instantly endearing raconteur, Phil Scott the incredibly gifted musician with proven satirical skills presented a spontaneous, hilarious and at times musically spellbinding summary of his career thus far.

A trip through his professional life illuminated even the darkest, most challenging corners of a challenging industry.

Hit songs were parodied with delicious humour which was often not politically correct. Comic rewriting of famous performers’ work or styles ensured successful caricatures with elastic facial expressions from Scott.

Excerpts from his Liberace show dazzled with appropriate grins, accent and keyboard fireworks during Bernstein/ Mozart/ Tchaikovsky/ Boogie mash-ups.

A cross-eyed performance as Peter Allen in hysterical comic disguise was a great moment, as was a defiant and successful Piaf rewrite, Je ne Requeste Rien from his nights as a frustrated fledgling cabaret artiste.

The clever yet tender ballad Take Another Little Piece of my Art touched us as only middle class break ups can.

The initial entry alluding to the reality TV ‘Survivor’ franchise and using camouflage costume created much less impact than ensuing choices in the night.

This show was a full and varied justification of Phil Scott’s reputation in the local and international cabaret scenes. It was an honest and lighthearted look at the essence of the art form, and a fantastic night out in a fine Sydney venue.

PHIL SCOTT IS A CABARET SURVIVOR played for one night only at the Slide Lounge, 41 Oxford Street, Sydney as part of Slide’s current Cabaret Festival.