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For the fans: An Evening Without Kate Bush at Underbelly Boulevard

Production photo

I’m not a fan of Kate Bush. But as Sarah-Louise Young in her show An Evening Without Kate Bush says, that’s ok. She appears, initially illuminated only by a red lamp, dressed in black, and moving across the stage in the style of Kate Bush. Or given that I’m not a fan or that familiar with her works, what I would assume Kate Bush might do if she had full run of the Underbelly Boulevard theatre. It’s evocative and a little bit funny. But soon it becomes clear that this is a show for the fans of anything out there. Be they Kate Bush fish (what the fans call themselves), friends of fish or foes. Ultimately, it’s a show about how music is often the soundtrack to our lives, capturing the spirit of being a performer, a fan and being alive. It’s currently playing at the Underbelly Boulevard. 

This wasn’t my first evening without Kate Bush. A little over four years ago, I saw Ms Young writhe about the stage, gaze at the audience, and drag the odd audience member on stage as she recounted her journey in Kate Bush fandom. It was a show that I remembered for its hilariousness. But this time around, in an expanded version touring the UK and now back in London, it feels sharper, assured, more incisive, and personal. 

After the opening song, there’s a brief explanation to the audience about the show (including not to be put off by those with notebooks in the audience, as they are just taking notes to write about the show), Ms Young moves into the audience to find out from the fans what their favourite songs are. One will be used later, so no two shows may be quite the same.  

There’s a suitcase on stage, full of props and silly outfits that, by the end of the evening, will be expended for our entertainment. The comic elements from the earlier version are still there, such as singing the song 'Babushka' with the correct pronunciation, but by the time the second half comes around, it feels like a more personal journey of discovery and realisation. In the end, it feels like there is something about Sarah-Louise Young that hits a nerve more than the mysterious Kate Bush. 

Created by Sarah-Louise and Russell Lucas, An Evening Without Kate Bush is at the Underbelly Boulevard until 26 April. Check the website for other tour dates. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photo by Steve Ullathorne

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