Review | From Amsterdam to Mars – Diva, entertainer, storyteller

From Amsterdam to Mars | His Majesty’s Theatre | til June 30 | ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Diva, entertainer, storyteller, singer.

Sven Ratzke is both beautiful and energetic in his old style cabaret show. If you want to step off the planet for a night, forget about the rest of the world and enjoy some light hearted entertainment, From Amsterdam to Mars is a good choice.

A natural entertainer, it’s easy to imagine Ratzke as a child dancing and singing his way through childhood. He is obviously a seasoned professional, appearing to love the stage and enjoying banter with the audience. Make sure you turn off your phones though or he WILL stop the show if he sees you with one, as happened to one poor punter who was caught trying to switch off a ringing phone. The moment was a little awkward and seemed unnecessary but was in line with the attention seeking entertainer character Ratzke has created for this show.

Ratzke has an appealing singing style and voice. The musical arrangements are creative and at times surprising. There were several times during the show that part way through a song, I realised the words were familiar, as I slowly worked out the well-known song being sung. The song choices were eclectic. Accompanied by an impressive pianist with solid jazz piano talent, the pair were tight in their musical performance throughout the show.

In between songs, Ratzke immerses the audience with his vivid and rambling style of storytelling. He has a talent for transporting the audience wherever he wants, creating a strong visual and situational shared experience. He’s also funny, expertly eliciting laughter throughout his stories.

As cabaret shows go, the format is a bit dated, but Ratzke manages to pull it off to create a really enjoyable show.

From Amsterdam to Mars is at His Majesty’s Theatre until Saturday 30th June. Tickets and more information available from Perth Theatre Trust.

Halimah Halse