Categories: Reviews

Adelaide Cabaret Festival – Unescorted

Lady Rizo

Lady Rizo is our diva and we commune with her in the religion of glitter and cabaret.

An established and well-respected cabaret performer from New York City, Lady Rizo is a Grammy winner, has performed for just about all the famous people known today (Beyoncé and Prince to name just a couple) and won a multitude of awards.

The blonde bombshell has a voice that transcends stylistic restraints, whether she’s humming a tune, contemplating the wonder of motherhood or belting out some of the best of America’s songbook. She doesn’t step a note out and imbues a combination of rock, jazz and lounge with ease.

This time around, Lady Rizo is very obviously pregnant (and looking amazing). While some might acknowledge and move on, Lady Rizo enjoys her current state and uses it to provide an extra level of humour and warmth to her act. The moment of “heaving” herself onto the baby grand (as all divas do) was self-deprecating and amusing, her song about motherhood was clearly moving to both performer and audience.

Supported by yet another fantastic band (shout out to all the hard-working Adelaide musos in this Festival) led by musical director Yair Evnine, Lady Rizo brings plenty of glitter and a whole lot of love to her show but it’s her vocals that make you want to buy her CDs and worship in the church of Rizo.

Hayley Horton

Hayley was an arts worker in South Australia for twelve years working freelance for small to medium clients as well as for companies such as the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, State Theatre Company SA, Urban Myth Theatre of Youth and the Australia Business Arts Foundation. As part of her freelance work, Hayley founded the ATG Curtain Call Awards (which is now an annual gala event), co-produced three 24 Hour Show charity fundraiser events, has judged for the Adelaide Fringe Festival and reviewed for Aussie Theatre and the Adelaide Theatre Guide. Hayley now runs a boutique events and arts management business, Footlight Events and in her spare time, is involved with Adelaide’s amateur theatre community as a producer, performer and director.