Reviewed by: Tatum Stafford
Seasoned theatre performer Peter Cumins has hit Perth Fringe World with a bang with his solo show, “I Love the Nightlife”, which serves as an unofficial love letter to the music of the iconic Aussie film and musical, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”.
The show’s set list is so jam-packed with disco hits and floor-fillers that there’s bound to be a song every audience member will enjoy. Peter’s voice is gorgeous to listen to, and his voice soars over every number; perfectly complemented by a few boppy backing vocals and extra orchestration, contributed by Joe Louis Robinson. Joe plays live keyboard during the show, and is also a treat to watch throughout, offering a few live back-ups and plenty of charismatic facials towards the audience.
In between songs, Peter’s banter with the audience is incredibly natural and a joy to watch. It was great to hear behind-the-scenes tidbits about his time with the show (stories about tour stops in Amsterdam and Tel Aviv were particularly fascinating), and he made each new song introduction seamless and fun to ‘play along’ with by guessing what hit would come next. Guitarist Jarrad played fantastically, with a few special moments to shine in long instrumental breaks that were a thrill to listen to.
The crowd were clearly lapping the show up, and it was super fun to see everyone get out of their seats and dance for the show’s finale, Cece Peniston’s “Finally”. The venue was intimate enough to feel close and connected to Peter throughout, and the acoustics were some of the best I’ve heard in a Fringe tent so far.
Kudos to Peter and his team for producing this super fun show that had the whole audience dancing along in their seats (and out of them, at the end). I hope this isn’t the last time we’ll see Peter lead a Fringe show, as it’s clear he is one of the most charismatic and talented performers within this year’s Fringe line-up.
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