Princess Cabaret

Anything involving several singing Australian women is apt to remind one of a Sheila’s Wheels advert. However with songs like: ‘I’m Bringing Sexist Back’ and ‘A Whole New Girl’, and lyrics such as “Germaine Greer, she taught us a lot of stuff about muff” Princess Cabaret is not standard Disney fare. The female choir channel feminist politics and sweetly incorporate some blue humour as they underline the foibles of Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Jasmine, Belle and Snow White.

Although the whole cast are strong comedians, the backbone of the production is Sophie Miller as Tinkerbell. Her satirical lyrics, composition and multi-instrumental performance tackle a potentially preachy subject with balance and unfaltering humour. All the princesses are rejected as commendable role models: Ariel takes advice from a crab, Aurora is hopelessly out of touch after being asleep for a hundred years and Belle is, well, into beasts. The group look positively angelic as they vocalise an entire sex scene, but don't be fooled: a strong critique of capitalist, consumerist ideals is incorporated in the set and the humour is at times cutting, confrontational and verging on crude. Happily, every mention of “hole”, “pussy” and “muff” is accompanied by a razor-sharp edge of intelligence. After all, “It’s a PUN bitch, are you gonna laugh?”