Homotopia: Lavender Club Cabaret

Unity Theatre, Hope Place
10th - 2th November 2004

Reviewed by Julian Bond

This cabaret evening was promoted as the first of many for the ‘Lavender Club’ gay/lesbian performance group. On the evidence of this first night, it’s a very welcome addition to the Liverpool cultural calendar.

With compering by the wonderfully-timed comic delivery of ‘Lady Shaun’, which included an impromptu poem about scallies and an order for veggie curry from the Chinese chippy (you had to be there) we had four diverse acts to enjoy. Notable was a strangely ‘trapping’ performance by Karen Madariaga, which carried some weak material but was overcome by the performer’s presence. Included a great joke about Mr Tortoise being mugged by snails with the punchline reporting crime at the copshop Q. So tell me what happened? A: Sorry officer, it all happened so quickly! Bum Bum. In a very samey world she was truly unusual in an uncontrived way. We also had a singer which, unfortunately I don’t have the name for from notes or program, but save to say carried off some great cover songs. Then we were treated to Rosie Lugosi, Vampire Dominatrix, Lesbian Poet, Earth Goddess (I forget the other adjectives) who came over from Manchester via Transylvania. Whip in hand she launched into classic remakes of all our favourite songs: Tom Jones’ Delilah of became ‘My Rottweiler’ (‘with teeth like a Bengal Tiger’) a warning to all Jehovah’s Witnesses, Salesmen, ex-girlfriends and stalkers who might call inadvertently on Ms Lugosi and disturb her early morning slumbers. There was also ‘Jealous Guy’ transformed to ‘I’m just a Callous Bi’. Excellent indeed. Finally Shirley Bassey had her diamonds stolen, revealing ‘Wanking is forever’, a hymn for the wonders of buzzing toys and self-love.

The final act was comic Terry Killkelly as an old queen looking back on his passing encounters “sorry, don’t know who he was, never caught the name” which was wonderfully sick and full of bad taste (in the mouth according to Mr Killkelly).

So, for the future of Lavender Club, and taking on the advice of Rosa Lugosi/Shirley Bassey – 'more power to your elbow'.