Review by Tatum Stafford
If you’ve been anywhere near the Rechabite this Perth Fringe season, you’ll know Reuben Kaye is in town – and if you know he’s in town, I urge you to snap up a ticket to see him in all his fiery glory in his late-night variety show, ‘The Kaye Hole’.
I was lucky enough to catch this show a few years ago, when Reuben performed his first show at the Rechabite, and it lived up to all of the hype when I had the chance to see it again this season.
Reuben is easily the most energetic, charismatic, and FUN emcee I’ve ever seen. He graced us with a few dynamic numbers in this show; all of which showcased his amazing voice and charming wit. His costume for ‘The Kaye Hole’, compared to his headlining, earlier show ‘Apocalipstick’, cranks the volume up to ten and features a stunning red feathered coat with a corset and mesh underneath = perfection.
The show started with a bang with an iconic Reuben cover of ‘Gay Bar’ by Electric Six, accompanied by his incredible band of high-energy musos that had the room hyped up and ready for the chaotic line-up that lay ahead of us. Reuben is an absolute master on the mic, and threw in some late-night-ified material that had the audience in stitches and with shocked expressions simultaneously (in the best way possible).
‘The Kaye Hole’ line-up rotates weekly this Fringe season, and we were lucky to catch some fantastic performers on the night I attended. The show started with a bang with Bebe Babow’s iconic Beyonce medley, segued into hilarious stand-ups Aves Robins and Larry Dean, and included some incredibly energetic numbers from Tootz, Enter Serenity and Just Gal Pals.
The Rechabite Hall has fast become Reuben’s home venue at Perth Fringe, and it’s absolutely perfect for this show. The bass thumps the bleacher-style seats, and the performers are given the chance to showcase their skills on two stages; walking amongst the audience if they please, and feeding off the crowd’s energy. Reuben never misses a chance to get up close and personal (something you’ll know if you’ve seen any of his shows before), and this show in this venue allows him to unleash his most creative and extroverted self, which is always so much fun to be in the presence of – it’s truly electric.
Reuben is super passionate about promoting local talent throughout the show, and it's clear this line-up had been purposefully curated to give us the best possible late-night show, which meant there were hardly any (if any) dips in energy, or slower moments. What more could you want from a late night at Fringe?
If you’re still reading this, trust me and book a ticket to ‘The Kaye Hole’s final weekend at Perth Fringe. No matter who’s on the line-up, with Reuben at the helm, you’re guaranteed to have a night to remember (and one you’ll never forget).
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