Helpmann award winning performer Michael Griffith returns to Fringe World with a show that explores the work of Kylie Minogue.
Following on from his previous shows where he dived into the work of Madonna, and another where he explored the songs of Annie Lennox, this show is all about classic Kylie tunes.
In his performances Griffith doesn’t impersonate the artist he’s focusing on, the show is just a simple celebration of their songs and some insightful and often hilarious stories from the Griffith’s own life.
Last year OUTinPerth chatted to Michael Griffith about the show and his love of Kylie Minogue. While he doesn’t dress up as the artist he’s paying tribute to in the performance, he has no hesitation doing it for the promotional poster, and the Kylie poster sees him recreating the cover to Kylie’s very first album from 1988, which includes wearing some rather bizarre headwear.
“Unfortunately if you’re not of a certain age, you just don’t necessarily know what’s going on. People ask if I dress in drag and I say ‘No, it’s just a bit of fun.’ If you don’t recognise that picture then surely you weren’t there. Even when that came out though she must have cringed at that hat.” Griffith said.
“The first album, the critics called ‘bubblegum pop’ and I think that’s the perfect description, but that picture is a perfect match.”
The performer professes he has a love of Kylie’s Stock, Aitken, Waterman period. The trio of songwriters created some of her most memorable hits.
“They had it down to a fine art,they never pretended to be anything that it wasn’t, they knew it wasn’t profound or personal or moving, they just wanted it to be fun!”
“The first three singles of Kylie’s third album Rhythm of Love were the best things they ever wrote, how good is Better the Devil You Know!” Griffith proclaims.
With hundreds of Fringe World shows opening in the next few weeks many people are perplexed by which ones are going to be any good, but Michael Griffith is a fairly safe bet of an evening of stellar entertainment.
OUTinPerth gave his 2016 show Adolescent which celebrated the music of the 1980’s 5 stars and described it as “wonderful”. We also awarded his Sweet Dreams show, that focussed on Annie Lennox, a five star review.
Michael Griffith: Songs by Kylie, limited shows from 29 Jan to 3 Feb in the De Parel Spiegeltent, tickets are available from Fringe World.
Graeme Watson
