She’s so lucky, she’s a star: Britney Spears the Cabaret

by Isobel Smart

Britney Spears the Cabaret… a pretty funny title when you think of it, isn’t it? How on earth can the authenticity of such a traditional form of entertainment be applied to the story of such an iconic, infamous and stereotypical pop star who is still alive today?

Britney Spears the Cabaret ironically exposes the hard reality of fame through one of the most infamous and well-known celebrities of all time: Britney Spears. Her iconic and catchy tunes are used to narrate and guide the one-woman piece, with each song incorporated at a particular time that aims to support and capture the moment Britney is conveying to the audience.

Critically acclaimed Australian actress and singer Christie Whelan Browne takes on the role of Britney in this one-woman extravaganza, and wow does she nail it. The way she is able to transform into the character of an incredibly well-known and beloved pop-culture icon and portray her in such a vulnerable and personal yet funny way is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Her ability to capture the audience with her persona and extraordinary on-pitch singing voice for the entire 70 minutes with no break is remarkable.

The small venue size at Chapel on Chapel in Prahran ensured an intimate space where Britney’s character could connect with the audience and as a result deliver the emotions that fell, especially towards the end. The layout was as simplistic as a piano on the left and bar stool on the right where Whelan Browne was stationed for the majority of the show, allowing for the audience to fully relate with Britney as not only a character, but as a person, making it thoroughly engaging and entertaining. The drink bottle she drank from throughout the show was in the form of a beer bottle, adding to the humour of the show as it was so sadly typical of the Britney character being portrayed.

The opening number of the show is Britney’s 2008 smash hit “Circus”. A slowed down and seductive version of the song perfectly introduces Britney as a character in her element, as “all eyes on me in the centre of the ring just like a circus” is performed with such an overtly exaggerated effect. It is during this song where she introduces the nasally tone that will remain for the rest of the performance, and delivers the ridiculous trills with matching hand gestures to accompany, emphasising the ludicrousness of the show that is yet to come; all while flawlessly hitting all the right notes.

Whelan Browne first played the role in 2009 at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and is back in 2017 better than ever. Yes… she’s done it again. Her other works include the role of Kira in the musical Xanadu (2011), Erma in Anything Goes, Janet van de Graff in Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of The Drowsy Chaperone (2010) for which she was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Musical, and Sugar by The Production Company, for which she was nominated for a Green Room award for Best Actress for playing the title role.

The show is written and directed by Dean Bryant who currently works as Associate Director at the Melbourne Theatre Company, and his impressive ability to intertwine the much loved pop anthems of the 21st Century into the cleverly written dialogue is evidently brilliant throughout the whole show. His other work includes another one-woman show starring Whelan Browne called Show People, which played at the 2015 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

The amusingly outrageous show starts out funny, but then takes an extremely different turn half way through. The first 30 minutes consists of hysterically crude and cringe moments of Britney’s life, including the memorable relationship with fellow child-star Justin Timberlake and the 2007 head-shaving Britney break-down. It then crosses over into the cost of fame coming with consequences, as told through the second half of the show as she wretchedly opens up the dilemma over the custody of her child. I found myself laughing one minute, and the next contemplating life itself and actually feeling sorry for Britney as the story and mood shifted entirely. Ultimately there was never a dull moment; I was constantly engaged and drawn into the story, and intensely captivated by her enchanting voice.

Britney Spears the Cabaret is a terrific night out and full of laughs, cries and cringe-worthy moments, and to see Christie Whelan Browne perform at her best. For Britney fans, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-live the hits and see her life in a different, comedic perspective, and for those of us including myself who have always had the CDs and the yet was never really a true “fan” per se, it definitely triggers the same effects.

There is, however, one caution you should note before seeing the production: be prepared to belt Britney tunes not only in the car on the way home after the show, but in the shower for the next week.