The Fabulettes Sing Songs From The ’60s & ’70s – Adelaide Fringe Review

The Soul Box, Thu Feb 26 The Soul Box is a great little venue on the quiet end of Hindley Street with an intimate cabaret setting. The Fabulettes are a 5-piece band and three female singers who specialise in the terrific songs of the ‘60s and ‘70s. It all sounded like the makings of a great show to me with such a Fabulous name. The singers looked lovely when they came on and it all levelled out into a fairly ordinary experience from there on. As the lead singer (sorry, didn’t get their names) seemed to be calling the shots throughout and barely spoke to us except for an occasion too few words, and sang song after song with her eyes shut (groan), we were excluded as if we didn’t matter and there was nothing much coming to us from the stage. The back up singers did their best to compensate, and at least smiled from time-to-time but could have done so much more with synchronised movement, some great harmonies and characterisation or something. The band was very lack-lustre and a bit clunky and no-one looked like they enjoyed being there. To have eight people on the stage doing covers of some of the best songs of a truly magnificent age of modern music and not be dynamic, engaging and inspiring is truly a disappointment. I give them credit for song selection and the singing was okay but too little variation in style and presentation and way too little energy given out to the audience. Performance is all about audience enjoyment. If not, you are doing it for yourself. Watching the videos of the marvellous performers they are covering could have helped this band make more of their obvious rehearsal time. Nikki Fort The Fabulettes continue at The Soul Box until Thu Mar 12. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.