Christa Hughes is Oz Rockin’ The Ladies Lounge – Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review

Space Theatre, Fri 5 Jun Edith Piaf and Angry Anderson had a love child and they called her Christa Hughes! Strutting her stuff in The Space last night, beer-swilling, leather squeezed Christa was saucy, sexy and sensational. Setting up the Ladies’ Lounge with her band of excellent musicians led by MD Leonie Cohen on keyboards and bass guitar, the very enthusiastic drummer, Jim Dunlop, bemulletted ‘Pablo’ on lead guitar and Svetlana Bunic on piano accordion with sampler, adding extraordinary variations to the music styles, Christa took us through a wildly entertaining feast of Oz Rock with a generous side serve of sassy humour. Peppered with unexpected additions like the plebeian poem from ‘VaGina’ Rinehart, a scintillating strip show behind the most glamorous Aboriginal flag you have ever seen, and culminating in the zany carrot-grater finale, Christa’s show is delectable and satisfying. Hilarious highlights and great Aussie songs were many but the Nick Cave/Kylie Minogue medley will stay with me forever and Cold Chisel’s Cheap Wine, complete with cheap wine and Christa’s cask bladder costume, was sheer cabaret brilliance. Christa surprised and delighted us with her rather sweet acoustic rendition of ever famous Angels’ anthem Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again? accompanied only by her ukulele. The near capacity audience supplied the famous response line in a whispered, tasteful and totally unified voice, all the way through. It was a treat. This is a great show jam-packed with terrific Aussie rock and lashings of laughter. Indulge yourself! Nikki Fort Christa Hughes performs Oz Rockin’ The Ladies Lounge at Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, at various time until Sun 7 Jun. Book at BASS on 131 246 and bass.net.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets. Image courtesy of Kelly-Ann Denton