Review By Rowan Brunt
Singing, tick. Piano, tick. Witty comedy, tick. Homoerotic slideshow of your siblings, tick?
Maverick Newman In Conversation with Maverick Newman is sensational little cabaret at the Hayes Theatre Co in Sydney starring, you guessed it, Maverick Newman. An all original cabaret where Maverick Newman, the understudy for Maverick Newman, explores what it means to be Maverick Newman as a gay actor living through heartbreak, beautiful local baristas and some hunky footballer bros. What is so engaging from the get go is how Maverick sets up the piece as light hearted and silly coming out as the stage manager to announce his own show.
The content of the show is not so unfamiliar to an audience how would frequent a cabaret or theatre or comedy act. Maverick explores what it means to be a gay man growing up in a heteronormative household, moving through the world as a yet to be discovered musical theatre star and the heartbreak boys put us through. While we have seen all these stories before it is the earnest way Maverick navigates through his lived experience with such fun insights. The original songs at the piano were a favourite of mine, written in such a way that feels like a stream of conscious that darts around presenting to the audience the roller coaster of what it is to be inside Mavericks brain.
Not to mention the skill as a pianist and lyricist.
Complex melodies that modulate and shift as consistently and quickly as his brain as if these songs are tumbling out at a speed that his fingers just pick up and translate in the moment. Not to mention that the songs all have a different characteristic and feel depending on intention. His barista lover has a Latin feel, a soft delicate tinkling singing about his loved ones and even referencing classical tunes as he explains the loveless jobs we endure as actors just getting by.
A highlight is the way Maverick can turn a joke. Like his songs the dialogue is very stream of consciousness but is also done in a way that is like an experiment or Ted Talk es que exploration of himself as the subject. This way of speaking of himself in third person means he can be as savage as he likes and pull the audience along for the ride.
The Hayes Theatre is a perfect venue for small intimate cabarets of this nature. One performer, one grand piano and an audience that are literally at your fingertips for the performer to target and engage with. It would be wonderful for more of these small cabarets in between larger shows for upcoming talent to be accessible.
I would be very interested to see what Maverick will create down the line and if his songwriting skills will be used for an original musical as the humour and style is accessible and current. A great laugh, full camp, soaring tunes and a cheeky wink to the audience.
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