Sin City, the Golden Years **** (Garage International until Saturday, March 15, 2008)

March 6, 2008

It’s New Year’s Eve, 1963, in the Moonlight Lounge in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. We are there, in the audience, enjoying song and dance, while enduring some very dated comedy.

There is no doubt that every cast member, from musicians to singers, to dancers, is very talented. There was not a weak link in the production. However, two elements worked against this production. Firstly, the comedy routine was very lame (yes, I know it meant to have that 60s authenticity, but surely we would have forgiven some more contemporary shtick). If updating the routine would have eroded the integrity of the material, maybe it could have been dropped altogether. Just a thought. Secondly, the space is ill-suited to the show. The large hall in North Adelaide dwarfs the players. This is exacerbated when the audience is small. With a cast that numbers around 14, that is not hard to do midweek at the Fringe.

Having said all that, this is a classy show that definitely delivers that Vegas feel-good vibe. Don’t be surprised if you catch yourself tapping your feet or singing along! Good fun.
Read more or buy tickets via the Fringe Guide