After taking his performances around the world to Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Poland and New Zealand Le Gateau Chocolat joins Perth Fringe World for the first time and dazzles audiences in a way that only a Lycra clad man singing Bette Midler and Opera can.
Now I have seen a lot of drag. Hundreds of shows in fact and this was like nothing I have seen before. It was engaging, it was honest, but it wasn’t just about performing; it was about engaging the audience, it was pure cabaret – and it was really really good.
As you walk into the De Parel Spiegeltent,you sit mesmerised by the barrage of outfits cluttering the stage and suddenly you are wowed by this voice. Deep, moving, sensual and completely encompassing, his voice bounces of the walls and introduces you to a performance that I can only describe as being filled with the wow factor.
For those who aren’t familiar with Le Gateau Chocolat, he’s a UK performer, with a law degree and beard, who has tendency to perform drag dressed completely in Lycra and the best red lipstick I have ever seen.
He talks about his mother, her parrot, and Britain’s Got Talent (Susan Boyle eat your heart out!). You’ll meet the Coco Pops, you’ll experience Lycra in a way that you may never have before and you’ll walk out asking yourself “Why not?”
He is accompanied on stage by two fabulous musicians, one of whom is Perth grown. You’ll dance, and laugh, and be moved (there was a point during the performance were I was wiping a tear away from my carefully eyelinered eyes) and you’ll actually really enjoy yourself. The show is totally accessible and the diverse audience proves that.
Le Gateau Chocolat is an engaging, hilarious and moving show that pulls you through the dressing rack into his two very different worlds;On Stage and Back Stage. Dotting between Madonna, Midler, Radiohead and some fantastic opera, Le Gateau Chocolat is a brilliant exploration of drag, music, family, performance and life.
Le Gateau Chocolat is at The De Parel Speigeltent at Fringe World until February 8.
Alice Newport
