Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Reuben Kaye: Live and Intimidating
Reuben Kaye
Genre: Cabaret, Comedy, Stand-Up
Venue: Assembly Festival George Square
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Australian comedian, writer and singer Reuben Kaye delivers a high-speed musical hour of high camp, playing with the audience, outrageous humour, and complete entertainment.
Review
Australian comedian, writer and singer Reuben Kaye is back to the Edinburgh Fringe with a new show, “Live and Intimidating”. Kaye delivers a high-speed musical hour of high camp, playing with the audience, outrageous humour, and complete entertainment.
Kaye is loud and in your face, and audiences love it. Nothing is off limits. He’s political and never politically correct. He’s naughty, so do not bring the kids. He flaunts his Queer drag persona. He’s sexy and gorgeous in a Rocky Horror kind of way, complete with goth-style makeup in stunning all black. His signature microphone has a long wig attached. As he says, “I am what happens if you tell your children they can be anything.”
The laughter is continuous. It is quick wit mixed with important messages. He lists the seven stages of grief, with the eighth stage being cabaret. One moment you’re shocked at what you’re hearing and the next moment you are in stiches. It’s a joke a minute.
The music moves the show, with top-notch, powerful singing. Kaye is accompanied by an excellent band, with musical direction by keyboardist Shanon Whitelock, Joel Prime on drums, Cammy Maxell on bass, and original compositions. The songs are brilliant. They compliment the show and drive the energy.
Kaye goes out into the audience and engages people with both physical and spoken humour. He might land on your lap or start a conversation with a guest. To a heckler: “this is not a dialogue”.
He says he builds shows on truth and trust. The cabaret has high stakes with no consequences. The show is carefully crafted to grab your attention and then hit home with its messaging. He is very well-informed about world affairs and speaks loudly about injustices, whether it is gender discrimination, environmental destruction, homophobia, corporate greed, the economy, the plight of the working class, lack of oversight in the church, and more. For him, drag is all about rebellion. “We’re a political football and we’re not allowed to comment on the game.”
The one-liners hit every time. For Kaye, this is personal. This is a scary time for queer people. A library in Sydney, Australia tried banning books with gay content. His BBC-TV short piece where Kaye, in drag, chatted with children received 20 million views worldwide. It was played in classrooms and even in police stations for training purposes. And then the hate started. He received nasty emails and death threats. The homophobia stretches worldwide and in all segments of society and enterprises. He talks of a famous Australian athlete with an anti-gay tattoo. He describes that as a symptom of the problem that we don’t give boys enough information and they never get to find the joy of possibilities. He says that the hate you receive from the world is more about their shame than your pride. “Every time they try to push me down, it’s time to push back. Hear me roar.”
And he does roar. He’s loud, he’s brash, he’s hilarious, he’s in-your-face, and he is provocative. He challenges you to think about your attitudes and actions, on a micro level and on a macro level. “We live our lives on stolen land and borrowed time.”
Kaye was raised in an environment of dark humour. His grandparents came from Germany and Russia. His grandfather toured with a Yiddish theatre, where cabaret originated. He was raised by amazing parents and powerful women. His grandmother survived Auschwitz concentration camp. She taught him the power of laughing at things that scare you. So he makes us laugh – and think.
Kaye sticks around after the show to greet and hug those audience members.
Kaye’s live shows have sold out in Australia, London and Europe, winning the prestigious Off West End (Offie) Award for Best Cabaret in London as well as multiple Australian Green Room Awards for Best Artist & Best Cabaret Production, as well as twice at the Adelaide Fringe Award for Best Cabaret.
For a dazzling and memorable night out, treat yourself to this over-the-top cabaret. Unpredictable, unstoppable, unvarnished, unafraid – the hilarious Reuben Kaye brings it home.
