Melbourne Cabaret Festival: A Match Made in Harmony

Apparently times are tough on the dating scene. The women of Ginger & Tonic and the men of Suade are here to tell us all about it in A Match Made in Harmony, a lively and entertaining show featuring mainly original songs.

Set at a singles night, the performers succeed in telling a good story woven through with music. The two groups usually perform separately, but occasionally provide backing and/or vocal percussion for each other. They use the stage well, moving from area to area with ease. Often they are delightfully bawdy, such as in “One Little Person”, a song about finding that person who has the same sexual quirks as you; “Smoothie to Go”, about disappointing one-night stands; and especially in the joyous “I Fucking Love Being a Whore”, which would not be out of place in a musical version of Henry Fielding’s picaresque 18th-century novel Tom Jones.

The performers and content of the show are also delightfully ‘Australian’, which I adored. For example, Ginger & Tonic’s “Game, Set, Match Gary” is a sweet, daggy song about being in love with a sports-obsessed man; the chorus begins “You’re my Gary Ablett junior and senior all in one” – who could resist?

The only thing I would have liked more of in this excellent show is all eight singers letting it rip together. This didn’t happen until the penultimate number, “Somebody’s Arsehole”, and it was absolutely fantastic to finally hear the big sound of all those voices going for it right at the front of the stage. Perhaps next time we could have that pleasure earlier in the show?

If you love harmony singing and attractive men and women being funny and rude together on stage, A Match Made in Harmony is an absolute winner.