Safey kicks off proceedings with the immediately identifiable theme by Monty Norman arranged by John Barry; a theme that has appeared in every official James Bond film since Dr No (1962). The connecting tissue between numbers offers anecdotes about the various artists who have become part of the legendary film franchise and their songs origin; in some cases, this information is quite surprising and reveals a lot about the process of manufacturing the particular sound, to accompany this very particular character.
At one point, Oliver John muses about what makes a good Bond song and offers a show stopping rendition of a non-Bond song to make his point. As solo artists both John and Lee are powerful singers with excellent range and emotional nuance. In the intimate ballroom at Ayers House they both manage to truly captivate their audience and send chills up the spine. As a combined duo the magic they create is sometimes breathtaking. Both of them award winning graduates of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium with natural gifts that have obviously been nurtured and shaped.
Like Bond, they’ll be back in due course with a return season of this show so look out for them during the 2026 Adelaide Fringe and believe me if you enjoy excellent cabaret you’ll want to book early. The finesse and professionalism they exude promises only to develop and mature the way solidly trained singers evolve and I for one am thankful to the Cabaret Fringe Festival that they have a platform to showcase their remarkable gifts.
It’s no easy feat to present well known songs by the likes of Sam Smith, Adele, Billie Eilish, Nancy Sinatra and Shirley Bassey, let alone make them sound so uniformly fine without a second thought. That’s the measure of gifted singers, to take something iconic and make it their own; Lee and John do exactly that. With Safey’s genuine skill for music interpretation supporting them, and their natural gift for singing, these cabaret diamonds will leave you with a lasting taste of satisfaction for a long time to come.
Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival was on from 23 May to 1 June.
