The Melba Spiegeltent, Collingwood
Reviewed on January 29, 2015
An experienced performer on both the local and international entertainment circuits, Michael Dalton is one very busy and accomplished individual.
Whether it was singing for four years as part of acapella group, The Phones, making regular appearances on Hey Hey it’s Saturday and The Bert Newton Show, touring with The Rocky Horror Show or Julian Clary, there is apparently nothing this young man can’t do.
More recently for Melbourne’s 2013 Midsumma Festival’s line-up, Dalton performed “You’ve Got Male”, a one-man show that was in fact his autobiographical life story.
If all of this isn’t enough, Dalton has a fabulous female alter ego named Dolly Diamond. With a razor sharp wit and glamour to spare, Dalton’s creation is like everyone’s favourite sherry – addled Auntie.
Where drag was once restricted to the underground club scene, British comics like Benny Hill and Dick Emery brought female impersonation to mainstream television audiences. With laughter came acceptance, and others like Danny La Rue and Lily Savage added a special touch of sophistication to the recipe.
Diamond was developed over time with help from the veteran American stand – up, Rita Rudner. What makes Dolly’s self-deprecating persona so exceptional, is there is never for one second the sense of a man dressing up and acting like a woman. She, like Dustin Hoffman’s Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie, or the late Robin Williams’ Mrs Doubtfire, sustains that magical sense of disbelief from the outset.
Dolly Diamond Under A Big Top, plays for three nights only at the legendary Melba Spiegeltent. With its cheeky title as a clever selling point, Diamond’s latest venture has something for everyone.
At two hours in length, the impressive line-up includes Jonathan Duffy as Diamond’s handsome emcee and sidekick, powerhouse songstress Rachel Dunham, drag artist Sexy Galexy, Jeda Cacioli and Sharon Wills on back up, Dixieland band, Shiraz, with musical directors Cameron Thomas and Caleb Garfinkel and their funky little five-piece band.
Garfinkel, it should be noted, unintentionally added to the fun. He had tremendous trouble keeping a straight face during the entire show on opening night.
The toe-tapping set list included Elton John’s The Bitch Is Back’, John Paul Young’s ‘Love Is In The Air’, Arlen and Mercer’s ‘That Old Black Magic’, and Bette Midler’s ‘Miss Otis Regrets’.
Dunham was in fine form, belting out two very powerful numbers. Cacioli and Wills shared the spotlight for Dolly Parton’s ‘Single Women’, and Sexy Galexy emoted a treat to ‘The King of Broadway’ from The Producers.
A surprise highlight in the style of puppeteer, David Strassman’s act, was Diamond’s duet to ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ with an animatronic owl named Avery. That sidesplitting segment alone was worthy of the admission price.
Thanks to Dalton’s wealth of training and work experience, this tightly constructed show allowed plenty of latitude for improvisation and audience interaction. Several moments of gold included accepting one punter’s glass of champagne (that hadn’t actually been purchased for Diamond), or getting her head and mouth around another viewer’s particularly unusual first name.
Lastly, special mention should be made to Diamond’s four fabulous and original costumes. Made by Anna from Elysian Creations, each was a sight to behold and surely added to the room’s affirming vibe.
Catch this five star cabaret while you can.
Image Source: Dolly Diamond