The City of Sydney Cabaret Convention 2002:
An Overview, The Winners and Some Questions

Sydney Town Hall (July 23-27 2002)
Sydney, Australia

It all now seems like a distant dream. The streets were festooned with banners proclaiming the 6th City of Sydney Cabaret Convention and once again, the Cabaret Club magically appeared in the depths of the Sydney Town Hall like Lerner and Loewe's mythical Scots village in Brigadoon. For those five days in late July lovers of cabaret could be lured into the belief that this very special art form was loved and supported in this town. True? Alas, the reality is quite different.

The state of play in Sydney is not particularly good for cabaret at the moment. In the past year several rooms have opened and closed; at the moment, there are only three venues that present this kind of entertainment with any sort of regularity (1 to 3 shows per week at the best of times). How could this be the case in this largest and most cosmopolitan of Australian cities when, just a few weeks earlier, Adelaide, the much smaller capital of the state of South Australia, hosted a very successful 17 day festival of cabaret? The answers to these questions are not all that clear.

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is the "new kid on the (Australian performance) block" Now in its second year, this event, which has been underwritten by government of South Australia for an initial period of five years, has achieved considerable success. In this recent festival, for instance, 328 artists appeared in 73 acts, setting attendance records during the course of nearly three weeks. Box office statistics were very good with 39,000 tickets sold, 53 capacity shows, and an estimated 45,000 fans in attendance. By anyone's yardstick, this was an incredible turnout. How was this success achieved when, at the same time, the international tourist destination of Sydney cannot seem to sustain a few cabaret rooms for a couple of shows per week?

According to Ms. Julia Holt, Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the South Australian success was explained by two factors: affordable shows (i.e., the average ticket price was Aus$22) and a very broad definition of what sorts of acts qualified as "cabaret" including, for example, stand-up comedy, tribute shows to various composers and performers, female impersonators and a special edition of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY.

What do these issues have to do with Sydney's current woes? No doubt, cheap ticket prices are a large success factor. However, Ms. Holt seems to be saying that her all-inclusive definition of "cabaret" was the real key to the success of her festival. Is this the way this entertainment should be marketed? More important, does our own Cabaret Convention help to create a better environment for the success of this genre in Sydney?

These were some of the questions that were on my mind as the 6th City of Sydney Cabaret Convention began. I had foolishly hoped to find some answers while I attended, but all that came to mind were more questions. In this first report, let me give you an overview of the City of Sydney Cabaret Convention and highlight some of my concerns.

HOW IS THE CONVENTION ORGANIZED? ARE POLITICAL BUREAUCRACIES THE MOST EFFECTIVE SPONSORS FOR ARTISTIC EVENTS?

For six years, The City of Sydney Cabaret Convention has been produced by the municipality of Sydney and held in the building that houses its local government offices, our City Hall. For much of the event's history, this was an excellent arrangement and provided the convention with a degree of prestige and security. However, endeavors of this nature often are not well catered for by government bureaucracies where arts events are not high priority items.

The organizers and guiding lights of the first four editions of the Cabaret Convention were two lovers of cabaret who had a long history as entrepreneurs here in Sydney. However, due to personnel changes within the City of Sydney bureaucracy, these two organizers moved on. Consequently, the 5th and 6th conventions were organized from scratch by a new team that often did not have the benefit of previous showbiz contacts, knowledge of essential short-cuts, etc.

This year's convention was completely organized and staged in little more than five weeks! "Creating the wheel anew" on each occasion -- including setting dates for the event, putting out media announcements calling for submission of tapes and videos from entertainers wanting to be included, booking of caterers and guest artists, design of publicity, etc. - is not good management, particularly when the team of dedicated public servants were juggling this work with their other responsibilities for the City of Sydney. Perhaps it is time to think of another arrangement.

How is the City of Sydney Cabaret Convention organized? Readers of my previous reports will know this information already, so I will be brief. The convention takes place over the course of five evening (plus one afternoon during which a Master Class takes place). The initial four programs consist of talent showcases for 11 to 14 acts, plus some invited "guest" acts; on the final evening, a Gala Dinner and Cabaret Show is presented. There is nothing particularly controversial about this setup. However, when you take a closer look at the selection of talent for the showcases and the Gala event, there are some substantive concerns.

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PERFORMERS TO APPEAR?

In order to participate in the four showcase evenings of City of Sydney Cabaret Convention, artists are invited to submit tapes or videos of their performances. This material is then vetted by a selection committee which finally picks a group of artists to appear before an audience of cabaret enthusiasts. This year approximately 85 acts applied for inclusion in the convention, submitting performance tapes, discs and videos; 46 entrants, a disproportionate number of applicants, were selected to participate in this year's Convention.

What style of performance is expected by this committee? On the basis of the six conventions I have attended, I would have a hard time answering that question. This year the mix of styles was noteworthy, ranging from "lounge acts," country and western singers and impressionists to very classy performers who would not be out of place in good cabaret rooms anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, the latter group of artists was very much in the minority; not a great deal of the work seemed to be "cabaret."

On the basis of the acts that I heard, I believe the selecting committee's lack of discrimination definitely resulted in a lowering of overall quality for the showcases. Over the years, there has been a great deal of speculation about the criteria used for deciding which performers are chosen to appear. What level of skill and experience is assumed of entrants? Is it the goal of the Convention to develop young and relatively inexperienced performers? Alternatively, should this event provide an opportunity for seasoned professionals to showcase their skills? This year, there were several teenagers in showcases who were ill equipped to perform at this event.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that there were fewer submissions this year. Perhaps this decline is part of a trend that started in past years, but was more noticeable this time. Over the years, fewer experienced performers have appeared in the Cabaret Convention. Perhaps many of these people have decided that there is no longer a benefit in being showcased on the same platform as relative newcomers. Has the event lost its "pulling power" for these artists?

A SHOWCASE FOR ARTISTS OR A TALENT QUEST WITH AWARDS?

There is one factor I have not spoken about that may provide some of the answers to the questions I have been posing: performers in the showcases are being evaluated by two judges who select the "winners." This year, the judges were Avigail Herman and Phil Scott, two very perceptive cabaret performers, eminently capable of evaluating the various acts. However, the issue of contesting for awards is quite problematic. What sort of convention is this? It is a sort of cross between a showcase for artists and a talent quest with prizes, a mixed marriage at the best of times.

The City of Sydney provides two awards - The City of Sydney Award and The New York Award - for those judged most deserving of recognition as an incentive to encourage participation in this event. Both awards provide recipients with a round-trip ticket to New York City and passes to all sessions of the upcoming Mabel Mercer Foundation New York Cabaret Convention. However, The City of Sydney Award also includes accommodation and the opportunity to perform during the New York Cabaret Convention.

In addition to these two honors, there is a third, the Corporate Gold Award, a cash prize of $500 given to the act judged most suitable for corporate events. Over the course of previous conventions there have been other prizes, but this year only three were given.

The reason for the "contest element" is bound up with the history of this event. The original organizers had arranged with the sponsors of the New York Cabaret Convention to send the best act in each year's showcases to appear in that event. Acts in the running for the much coveted City of Sydney Award were expected to resemble those seen at the New York Cabaret Convention (solo singer and accompanist). Sponsorship limitations on air fare and accommodation - only one winner for each of the two big prizes - further diminished the prize-giving choices. Thus, groups were not eligible to win either of the two main prizes, no matter how good they were. Is this lack of flexibility discouraging acts from appearing in the showcases?

WHO WERE THE WINNERS OF THE 6th CITY OF SYDNEY CABARET CONVENTION?

Well, this is really old news since Stu Hamstra published this information soon after the event. The Corporate Gold Award was given to The Voice Squad, a Sydney-based a Capella group comprising Margaret Coen, Eleanor Sheedy, Luke Redmond and Kirk Hume. They won the prize for their performance of Sondheim's "Anyone Can Whistle" and the Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody." Though this quartet performed some very sophisticated musical arrangements, their work was spoiled for me by their lack of blending, pronounced vibrato and less than impeccable microphone technique. One need only listen to the work of Ward Swingle's various groups to see how critical the blend of tone and quietly intense focus is to the success of this style of performance.

Judges Avigail Herman and Phil Scott awarded The New York Award to Hayden Tee, a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art's Singer/Actor/Dancer program. Tee's performance of "Proud of Your Boy" and "Testimony" was a crowd pleaser. His training and his background in theater both here and in his native New Zealand, provided Tee with the grounding necessary to build a cabaret set that was both amusing and heartfelt. He will doubtless learn a great deal from his time in New York City. In addition, cabaret aficionados in the Big Apple will have a chance to catch his show at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 1-212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/) on either Sunday, October 13th at 4:00 pm or Monday, October 14th at 9:00 pm. Hayden Tee, though at the start of a promising career, is already a remarkable performer.

The winner of the main prize, The City of Sydney Award, was MaryAnne McCormack. Her rendition of "How lucky Can You Get" and "Sorry I Asked" provided additional proof of how useful theatrical experience can be in creating a cabaret performance. Like Hayden Tee, McCormack also attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art, graduating in 1998. Since then, she has made a number of appearances in Melbourne (in the Australian equivalent of CITY CENTER'S ENCORES) in semi-staged productions of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, GYPSY, MAME and SHE LOVES ME, as well as other musicals in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Her performance at the New York Cabaret Convention in October should be a winner. In addition to appearing in the New York Cabaret Convention, MaryAnne is performing with last year's winner Melissa Langton at DON'T TELL MAMA on Tuesday October 22nd at 9:30 pm and Wednesday October 23rd at 7:00 pm.

WHAT IS THE GUIDING PURPOSE OF THIS SYDNEY EVENT?

Finally, the biggest question of all must be asked. What does the City of Sydney Cabaret Convention achieve? Like the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the Sydney event "showcases new talent and provides an opportunity for artists to perform in front of event producers as well as cabaret devotees." From its inception, there was an underlying intention to develop both the level of performance talent and a wider audience appreciation for cabaret. To that end, both Adelaide and Sydney events include Master Classes. In Adelaide, Peter J. Casey (winner of a past Sydney Convention) and Toni Lamond conducted classes; in Sydney, the inestimable Kerrie Biddell once again officiated in this capacity. Is enough energy really being devoted here in Sydney to the development of cabaret talent? Merely appearing in a showcase or attending a master class does not really seem sufficient to satisfy such a large and important goal.

In my next installment of this report, I will talk about the artists who performed at this City of Sydney Cabaret Convention. Let me close this first installment of my Cabaret Convention report with acknowledgement to the team who did such an excellent job of staging the 6th edition of this event: Gail Marshall and Christopher Coogan (in charge of production for the City of Sydney), Julio Himede (designer of the new Cabaret Club setting, as well as the smart new-look logo that was used in all event publicity) and Ron Creager (for musical coordination). None of my comments should be construed as negative criticism about their efforts. Thanks to all of them, as well as the backstage and catering staff, this event was a popular success.

David M. Schwartz

Reports of the 2002 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Reports of the 2001 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Daily Reports of the 2000 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Daily Reports of the 1999 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Daily Reports on the 1998 Sydney Cabaret Convention

Back to CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE Home Page

If you would like to receive a free e-mail subscription to CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE, please e-mail cabarethotline@svhamstra.com and place the single word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line. Note: Your subscription will be sent to the e-mail address you subscribe from - and please include your real name along with the city where you live.

NOW YOU CAN JOIN CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE!