Cabarets are a big trend at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. These intimate affairs come in a variety of forms with different narratives, influences and styles. However, since it’s debut last year Big Band Does Productions’ ‘Divas: From Stage To Screen’ has been the cabaret that everyone has been talking about. The female and non-binary-led show pulls music from rock, pop, indie, movies and musical theatre all into a gorgeous sixty-minute production featuring some of the best talent Scotland has to offer.
On the night I attended (Thursday 17th August), I was treated to five incredible performers in the form of Jessica Nolan, Halla Eaglesham, Nicola Meehan, Rosie Houlton and Dannielle Logan. The performers alternate with Rachel Flynn, Sarah Innes, Yna Tresvalles and Colum Findlay.
These ladies each have their moment to shine, and each take on breathtaking solos. Jessica Nolan entrances the room while giving a truly stunning rendition of Emilie Sande’s ‘Clown’, all that can be heard is the occasional sniffling of noses from audience members holding back the tears during this powerful performance. Halla Eaglesham gives a terrific cover of Cilla Black’s ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’, never will you have heard this number sung with such energy and passion. Nicola Meehan sings ‘Gravity’ by Sara Bareilles, this is done with such nuance, slight and vocal control, you can’t help but be drawn in by Nicola’s beautiful voice. Rosie Houlton sings ‘My Man’ from ‘Funny Girl’, providing her fiery voice and sublime vibrato, you can’t help but feel you’re watching a seasoned Broadway gal give you something from her catalog of hits. Finally, last but by no means least, Danielle Logan performs ‘Glasgow (No Place Like Home)’ from the motion picture ‘Wild Rose’. This performance lifts the veil from the powerhouse of vocals we see Logan give throughout the set, and gives her the time to show vulnerability with a lovely Scottish accent (something rarely heard in musical theatre).
As you can tell, each of these ladies hold their own, so when they perform as a collective, they blow the roof off Gilded Balloon’s Patterhoose. The repertoire of numbers featured in this cabaret could be plucked from this reviewer’s Spotify playlist, with an incredible Adele Medley, ‘Does Your Mother Know’ by ABBA, ‘All Is Found/Into The Unknown’ from Frozen 2, ‘Don’t Forget Me’ from Smash, Happy Days/Get Happy by Garland and Streisand, and much much more. Each number is performed the hell out of by these performers, they understand how to punch the energy and emotion of each note.
The all-female band led by Caitlin Morgan that accompanies these performers plays these huge numbers sublimely. For it being a pretty small band, the volume and depth you get from the players shows the sheer talent the band hold.
‘Divas: From Stage To Screen’ is a stunning piece of cabaret theatre that showcases incredible local performers, singing some of the most iconic hits of all time. This is a show you don’t want to miss.
Playing until 27th August, get your tickets here –
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/divas-from-stage-to-screen
Theatre Scotland 
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