Recall the ’80s and ’90s… but with a little more style

Two years ago, singer Michael Griffiths’ impressed audiences when he channelled Madonna in a one-man cabaret act that intricately weaved the icon’s music into her well-chequered life story. Last year he summoned the heart and soul of Annie Lennox – ditto with the biographic references. This year, he’s taken a whole batch of ’80s and ’90s pop icons and turned their songs into something altogether soulful and stylish.

With no accent, no costume, not even a wig (although his coiff does look a little higher this time), Griffiths delivers fresh takes on pop tunes while maintaining that they remain appealing to puritan fans. And he does so non-stop, as an avid fan and a unique talent himself, in front of an intimate audience, and all without smoke, mirrors or video effects.

In between tunes by the likes of Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys and A-ha, Griffiths recalls the aches and pains (and sometimes just plain good times) that go hand-in-hand with that topsy-turvy phase experienced in all our lives: adolescence.

But there’s another element to the show that connotes a kind of ‘Peter Pan’ syndrome, where Griffiths admits to never wanting to grow up, actually. In one anecdote, he tells of a friend’s 40th birthday party which happened to have been hosted next door to a 21st gig. Just when he and his friends are up to their umpteenth “My gosh, you haven’t changed one bit” faux compliment, they suddenly notice the buffed youth taking selfies next door, realising… yup, sitting there watching with their subdued feelings of weariness and back-ache, they have indeed grown up.

But ‘Adolescent’ is far from a oh-woe-is-me autobiography. Rather it celebrates youth for the challenging phase in our lives that it was – and proves the power of feeling young-at-heart again through unabashed retrospective.

And it’s not only the obvious songs that do the trick. At one point Griffiths performs a song by The Cure that makes reference to ageing and yet he comes across as keenly as a kid who’s staring in the mirror, trying on kohl eye-liner and smudged lipstick for the first time.

Winner of Adelaide Fringe’s ‘Best Cabaret’ weekly award in 2015, witness and realise why only praise follows this guy’s one-man cabaret act, wherever he lays his hat, per se.  Antonino Tati

‘Adolescent’ is on at De Parel Spiegeltent at the Perth Cultural Centre from now until Tuesday 2nd February. Tickets are selling quick, through you might find some available at www.fringeworld.com.au.