OBSERVER: Sarahtonin
Fresh from a successful season at the Perth Fringe Festival earlier this year, Sarah Bower’s one-woman cabaret show Sarahtonin was a joyous celebration of the small things in life.
The show was simplicity itself as Bowers, accompanied by John Packer on acoustic guitar, sang a variety of songs and shared personal stories about love, life and various incidents that felt like they gave her a good solid burst of serotonin, the so-called “feel good” chemical of the human body.
Put together by Bowers herself, the show included classic tunes from Broadway musicals such as I Could Have Danced All Night, Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ and My Favourite Things, many of which she riffed off with humorous improvised asides.
Interlaced with the songs were personal stories which, in some way shape or form, sparked joy for her.
Drawn mostly from a friendship diary she has kept for a decade, an impressive and telling feat in itself, these ranged from brief close encounters on airplanes to more long term relationships with friends and family.
Bowers was a vivacious performer, the very personification of serotonin itself in the effect she had on her audience.
With a broad smile and cheeky grin, she had a winning way about her, a fine voice and a ready wit when it came to interacting with her audience.
She was ably supported by Packer on guitar whose quiet knowing presence acted as something of a grounding counter balance to Bowers flighty energy.
No person was credited with direction of the show but this wasn’t a problem given its simple nature and the confidence and assuredness of the two performers.
Sarahtonin then was a show that was hard not to walk away from with a big grin plastered on your face.
It was as clear a statement as can be of the welcome arrival of Sarah Bowers on the Melbourne independent musical theatre scene.
Presented at the Motley Spielhaus, Melbourne.
Review by Peter Murphy