The Inspiring Sounds Of Simone's Soul

The Age

Monday July 9, 2007

Martin Ball

CABARET REVIEW: FABULOUS DIVA - A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE

Ruth Rogers-Wright,

Beckett Theatre, Malthouse Theatre,

July 6, and again July 13.

Running time: 70 minutes

www.malthousetheatre.com.au

NINA Simone is something of an enigma in the great American tradition of blues/jazz divas. Perhaps the reason is that while her style was jazz, her genre was really cabaret. She was never scared to mix politics with love songs, and never shy to make herself the centre of the show. A true diva, in other words.

When she died in 2003, Simone left a catalogue of 600 songs, and memories of a great performing career. And this twin legacy provides the inspiration for Ruth Rogers-Wright's show Fabulous Diva, part of the current Malthouse Cabaret Festival program.

Rogers-Wright has been performing Nina Simone's material for some time now, and she is very much at home in it. She looks like Nina Simone; she sounds like Nina Simone (at least when she is singing); and with Mark Fitzgibbon tickling the ivories it's easy to enjoy the music, especially with great songs such as My Baby Just Cares for Me, I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl, and Sinnerman.

There is nevertheless something slightly unresolved in the structure of this show. It's not the typical biographical narrative, illustrated with songs to explain the various psychodramas of the subject's life. Nothing so gauche. And yet, if that's what you're expecting, the show might seem rather bland, as Rogers-Wright simply reels off a dozen or so covers of Simone's most famous songs, with a few observations thrown in. Perhaps that's why one couple left after three songs - that, and the curiously low-key start.

Luckily, as the crowd warmed up, so did Rogers-Wright. Her singing of Four Women, Simone's pointed song about skin tone, was a powerfully crafted performance. Likewise Wild is the Wind displayed great passion and depth in vocal delivery.

Mark Fitzgibbon's piano playing is impressive, even if the instrument he has to work with is a bit clapped out. It's a pity, too, that the drums and bass of his trio aren't there to add some roundness to the sound and more presence on stage.

Even so, with Ruth Rogers-Wright in fine voice Fabulous Diva offers a satisfying reminiscence of the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone.

© 2007 The Age

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