‘Dating Death – Romancing in a Disposable World’ is part of the popular Cabaret Soirée season DownStairs at the Maj. This World Premiere production was written by Zalia Joi and James McKibbin. The second, and sadly the final, show is Saturday the 31^st October at 8.30 pm.

         The lights rise to a scotopic level, revealing a bedraggled crone draped in sackcloth against a blue moon. In deep, haunting tones, and to the tinkle of a piano playing atonal chords, the fabulist relates the love story of a local fisherman. She pauses after each brief passage of the tale, and the sackcloth falls off to reveal a young woman in a black basque, who goes on to intersperse a collection of very different personalities all telling of their successes and failures at dating.

The love affairs and relationships of the show are presented partly in the ten songs, six of which were written by Rod Christian and Zalia Joi. They ranged from a French Chanteuse searching - in an Eartha Kitt manner - for a man, to a drunken bimbo, a broken-hearted soul and even an Aussie workman. Commitment, expectation, life and afterlife are all skilfully portrayed in this examination of dating by this solo artist.

The style of music in the show ranged from an almost skiffle interpretation of a KISS number, through blues, to a soft and beautiful rendition of Purcell’s 300 years old ‘Dido’s Lament’. Zalia appears to have a vocal range from alto to soprano, delivering every note with strength and purity. Accompanied considerately by Rod Christian – there was no heavy handed piano playing, just the right volume of harmony tones to complement the singing, Zalia Joi blossomed.

Murray Dowsett correctly went for under-direction, with smooth transitions between the segments. The lighting (Howard Baum) was subtly compatible with the mood and words of the songs.

For the whole 80-minute of this solo performance in a cabaret setting, not a glass chinked nor a crisp crunched, the audience were held totally mesmerised. Despite Zalia Joi having most competently co-written, sung, acted, delivered humour and story told in this production, one still feels that the genius that we saw is only the tip of an iceberg of immense talent. This show could have a run to full houses for weeks, not only the two nights allotted which were sold out well in advance.

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