By Peter Maddern
Megan Doherty is the latest performer brought to the stage by Kate Warren’s newly formed The Factory (no doubt with apologies to Warhol, A.) The 28 year old recent graduate in musical theatre from Ballarat chose the topics of loneliness, lust and yearning to underpin her show entitled The Girl Who Won’t Grow Up, a repertoire that had Weimar cabaret strains to it without going for the whole Marlene Dietrich persona.
6pm on a Sunday evening is not usually the best time to collect a crowd but La Boheme was sold out for this last night and certainly it was keen to be swept along by Megan’s solid voice and shtick. After a slow start, her Disney song proved to be a highlight followed up not long after by Coin Operated Boy, all the while ably accompanied on piano by Daniel Brunner.
There is no doubt that Doherty has potential but more experience is needed to lift her to the fore front of similar acts in Adelaide (where queens of the genre like Sidonie Henbest presently reign.) More imaginative lighting, less use of the microphone (a perennial bug bear for this critic when attending at such a small venue as La Boheme) and a breaking down of what seemed like a glass partition between her and her audience members – more intimacy with her patrons gets rewarded – are all elements to be worked on.
But, to be sure, Megan Doherty is a talent worth following and one who will consistently entertain as she refines her performances.
Kryztoff Rating 3K
1 comment
I thought there was great intimacy between Megan and the audience and certainly no glass partition. There was good eye contact with people and she walked through the crowd with one of her songs.