By Debbie Djordjevic
London’s Southbank has been alive all summer with a heady mix of concerts, free theatre, cabaret and comedy. Leading the charge while recreating all the fun of the fair is the Underbelly, a large tent and bar area that plays host to unique and riotous companies from around the globe.
Mother’s Ruin: A Cabaret About Gin was making a one-night-only appearance last night, so along with a large crowd of their fellow Australians, we braved the summer rain for an hour of gin-soaked cabaret.
This show is great fun and, coming with a free gin and tonic, takes the audience on a journey through the history and cultural influence of gin throughout the ages. We visited Peru, New York and of course the gin sodden alleyways of 18th century London. We discovered that gin has had a bad rap over the centuries yet it has flourished and today comes with mind-blowing variety, all down to the botanicals added.
Singers and raconteurs, Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood, accompanied by pianist and funny-man Tom Dickins, bring this show to life with amazingly rich vocals and hilarious asides. Gin has been used to subjugate women, build myths around miscarriage and add to the propaganda surrounding ‘hysteria’. No twists are left unturned in the gin story – and all accompanied by a glass of very fine Australian gin (perfect with a twist of orange).
Sadly you won’t catch this show in London now although they are playing the Old Joint Stock Theatre in Birmingham tonight until Sunday. Keep an eye out next year either in London or the Edinburgh Fringe where they have just finished a month’s run. It’s not too late, however, to check out all the other fantastic shows appearing as part of the Underbelly Festival Southbank.