From next weekend, the likes of iOTA, Ursula Yovich, Tim Draxl, Erika Heynatz and more will beam live into your living room live from a secret location buried deep in the bosom of Paddington Town Hall.
Award-winning entertainer Catherine Alcorn and Gold Logie nominee Rodger Corser have joined forces with film and TV producer Brian Cobb to present Australia’s newest virtual variety show live from the Reservoir Room.
As part of City of Sydney’s Creative Spaces Initiative, every Friday night, Alcorn and Corser will gather a galaxy of stars to shine their brightest from a suitable social distance in this secret glamorous nook. Expect top-notch entertainment and slick production values thanks to a four-camera set-up that brings the bravo to you via social media platforms. Saturday nights will slink into cabaret mode.
Alcorn says the Reservoir Room is all about championing local talent. “We are leading with acts that have lost their work due to Covid-19. This means the artists have no income. We live by the mandate that no one is working for free, and audiences will view for a fee. This is our industry’s new normal, and we need to ensure it can survive these times with light at the end of the tunnel that isn’t an oncoming train.”
Co-presenter Corser shared his passion for live entertainment. “We’ve all been missing getting out to gigs, going to see theatre, cabaret and comedy. As we still can’t get to shows, we’ve devised a plan where we bring the show to you.”
He adds that the Reservoir Room hopes to do things a little more intimately. “You’ll get to see great gigs but also be taken backstage where we have a drink, a chat and a laugh with the stars in the Green Room. All streamed into your home, Friday and Saturday nights, it’s a great way to kick start the weekend and with Cath and myself at the helm, anything could happen!”
You can subscribe at reservoirroom.com and view via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Tickets are pay ‘pay what you feel’, starting from $5, with a percentage of proceeds donated to the Actors Benevolent Fund and Support Act.
Need more live performance in your life? Read all about Sydney Fringe Festival going global.
This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
