Daniel’s Score 4.5 /5 stars
Hayden Tee’s deeply personal Cabaret Show “Face to Face” opened as a one-night only show at the Darlinghurst Theatre on Sunday 8th of December 2019. The performance was exhilarating and the audience was captivated, he received a standing ovation. Proving once again why he is considered Australian Musical Theatre & Cabaret Royalty.
The “Face to Face” cabaret show is based on the songs from Hayden’s new album with the same name. The show features songs from his starring roles in Matilda the Musical, Les Miserables, 1776 among other songs by renowned writers such as Jason Robert Brown, Adam Guettel and Kander & Ebb which Hayden mentions in the show. The show was arranged by Nigel Ubrihien, who also playing for him on the piano, whilst the talented Karella Mitchell delights the audience with the cello.
The stage at the Eternity Playhouse was simply and elegantly dressed with glamorous velvet red stage curtains draped on each side. The instruments, piano and cello, on the left and a full dressing room make up mirror on the right, all exquisitely lit, transmitting the feeling of a true cabaret experience.
The shows starts with the song ‘The Spark of Creation” where Hayden masterfully starts us in a journey through his life and how he came to this moment in time where, in his own words, “ I have really settled into who I am”. The audience was first enthralled with his famously luscious vocals to then relax as he cracked jokes and made fun of himself, his make up and his incessant sweating. He shared about his professional work as a make up artist and how he now feels comfortable being open about all the work he does, regardless of the field.
As the night progressed Hayden took us deeper into his experience as a performer and the difficulties in letting the characters he performs, sometimes more than 10 times a week, go and return to finding himself again. He shared his dating experience through a truthfully performed song with daunting lyrics “there is a fine, fine line between reality, and pretend… there’s a fine, fine line between a fairy tale, and a lie. Between love, and a waste of time”
Hayden then took us on a tour of his most famous roles singing such favourites as “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from Les Misérables, the deliciously accented and performed “Smell of Rebellion” from his performance as Miss Trunchbull from Matilda the Musical to his own rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep”
Certainly one of the highlights of the show was Hayden’s interpretation of “Stars” the famous song sung by Javert, the character Hayden recently played in Les Misérables. He chose to sing it as he would sing it, not as the character but as himself, the actor, the human. Needless to say, the performance was emotionally beautiful to see, epically sung and full of that sense of real life that only good theatre is capable of delivering. Hayden was available, vulnerable and inspiring.
This show is a must see for anyone with an interest in music theatre and cabaret. Hayden is a Kiwi with a down to earth sense of humour, a talented, genuine musical gem that has conquered the world and is an inspiration to Australian artist now and for generations to come.
Check out the shows coming performances in the Adelaide, Gold Coast, Melbourne and other cities.
Daniel Alejandro, Theatre Now
Check out the coming performances
20 December at the Star Theatre in Adelaide: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid= 574319& 4 January at the Tyalgum Community Hall: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=574654& 6 January at the Gold Coast HOTA – Home of the Arts: https://hota.com.au/theatre/hayden-tee-in-concert/
Photo Credit: Sean Sinclair (Forespoke)
