Love is a fabulous
thing. Or is it? In cabaret Somebody To Love, Tory Kendrick takes a look at
various dating moments that many of us have had, and sometimes wish we could
forget. From the art of self-pleasure to the horror of being super liked on Tinder,
Kendrick has a song and story for everything.
Kendrick wears a red, sequined outfit that is extremely fitting for a cabaret about love and relationships. Her opening song, Queen’s “Somebody To Love”, clearly displays the vocal talent she has and does a remarkable job with the rest of the musical numbers, including “Big Spender”.
Accompanying Kendrick on piano is Greg Lavell, who brings new life to the well-known classic songs performed, as well as Kendrick’s original songs that take us through the five stages of grief that we experience when we are in love. Lavell joins Kendrick in a hilarious tongue-in-cheek duet where they try to ascertain whether an attractive man is gay or just European. Spoiler alert: he was both.Kendrick builds
a nice rapport with her audience, acknowledging them throughout, and having a chat to a few in the lead up to a song. She also instigates more interactions
by asking audience members to anonymously text their worst (or best) dating
stories before the show begins.
While all the
parts of the show are fun and entertaining, Somebody To Love is missing a
story. Yes, Kendrick is singing through the five stages and explaining them, but
the songs are just being performed and there isn’t a narrative or personal sharing
that is occurring. Some of her stories could be a bit more polished to allow
for a smoother description of events that occurred and to give the production a tighter structure.
Somebody to
Love is a light-hearted cabaret about the joys and frustrations that come with being
in love. Kendrick has a great presence and charisma, and together with Lavell,
it’s an enjoyable way to hear some wonderful music being performed.
Somebody To Love was performed at Motley Bauhaus 6 - 10 April 2024.
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