OBSERVER: Breakup Variety Hour
The Breakup Variety Hour was brought to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival by New York based entertainer Ariana and the Rose who starred in her one-woman show in the Solidarity Hall at the Melbourne Trades Hall.
Ariana takes us on an odyssey through the muddied waters of relationship breakups as she directs us down the pathway of the six stages of breakup.
She commences each stage by introducing a correlated song which she has written.
The first and rawest stage of Awe and Shock is accompanied by I’m Fine. The song’s fiery lyrics indicate that she is clearly finding it tortuous to deal with the shock of early days of breakup. She emotes perceptible pain.
In an effort to move on, we hear of the foibles of her experiences with dating apps in the second, teary stage poignantly conveyed alongside her song Rain. The journey continues as we are steered from heart-break to self-love and on to empowerment.
Ariana’s performance is a mix of pop-music, stand-up style comedy and cabaret. She proclaims that her song-writing for The Breakup is cathartic.
Her easy style engages the audience with her fervent, story-telling drawn from lived personal experience along with recollections of heartbreak anecdotes of friends.
This is an interactive performance during which she calls for volunteers to share their stories, but was unfortunately let-down on the night by a small house.
Ariana’s voice is strong with an excellent vocal range. Her depth of theatre experience and stage confidence is demonstrated through racy, seductive dance moves bringing an energetic, bubbly performance: a pleasure to watch.
Presented at the Trades Hall, Solidarity Hall, cnr Lygon and Victoria Sts, Carlton.
Review by Sherryn Danaher