Vanessa de Largie | Topic Media | October 2014
As I flipped through the Melbourne Fringe Festival program, it was Live and Resist that caught my culture-famished eyes. A French cabaret about WW2’s most notorious female agent – Nancy Wake (aka the white mouse).
I booked to go with a friend but that friend cancelled. So I went on my lonesome and I am so glad that I did. Live and Resist – The Story of Nancy Wake is a multimedia French cabaret with an original music score and dancers.
The actress/singer who plays Nancy Wake is Melbourne’s own French Burlesque Starlet Bijou (Etoile Marley). Etoile Marley is an outstanding multi-talent; she can sing, act and gather laughs as a comedienne. Marley is also capable of jumping rope, then belting out a show-stopper tune without even losing her breath. Marley has an energy and fitness about her that carries the entire show.
This 75 minute show has you absorbed from start to finish. I didn’t look at my watch once and the energy of the performers and musicians never lulled.
It was a ride about Australia’s own Nancy Wake; her arrival in France in the 30’s and what happened after.
The costuming is fabulous and the three performers (including Marley) even manage to make WW2 look sexy. The musical director is Martin Elepans who is also part of the cabaret, along with two other talented musicians.
The show finished on Saturday evening at Howlers in Brunswick and what a shame this is.
Currently there is a Pozible campaign to enable them to bring this show to new audiences. Click here for the link and make a pledge. It is definitely a project worthy of your riches.
For more info about this show, visit their website
