Toucan Cabaret Club 2024 Season Review

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PIP Theatre's Toucan Club is back in 2024 with live cabaret performances with a wide variety of different acts, and with 2 or 3 different performances per night, you get to see some of the best local and national talent between November 20 and December 21. Performances include music, comedy, drag, plays and shows that combine all of those elements. Oh, even better, there are a number of Christmas themed performances as well. Book one show or book them all, because life is a cabaret.



About the PIP Theatre

When the PIP performing arts company needed a performance space but couldn't really find one, they opened their own theatre in Milton. Their motto is Purpose in Performance, and they are a great champion of local theatre, plays and performance. It is part of a growing number of theatres in Brisbane featuring local and Australia performances. They have recently opened a second theatre space on the 1st floor for more intimate shows along with the main theatre space on the 2nd floor.



The back deck has a great open bar and chill out space. So remember, arrive early to enjoy the night air and have a few drinks. For the Toucan Club, it will be where you hang out and drink between shows.



About the Toucan Festival

PIP brings a cabaret and live arts festival to the theatre under the name Toucan Club. The name comes from the fact that back in the 1990s the building that is now the PIP Theatre was a nightclub called the Toucan Club, featuring, from what I was told, 3 floors of dancing .



The festival has a focus on cabaret style acts. For those who don't know, or who don't have a concrete definition of cabaret in their minds, cabaret is a tradition of variety shows where people sit and drink at tables, or even eat meals. The Toucan Club doesn't have a table setup, but you can take your drinks into the theatre with you, and enjoy drinks at the bar between performances.



The way the Toucan Festival works is that there are between 2 and 4 shows per night, with each show being 1 hour long and varying across the festival. Performances are on at 5:30 pm, 7 pm and 8:30 pm. You can book up to 3 shows a night, as some shows are on at the same time in the 2 performance spaces. There are discounts when you book 2 shows in a night.

Featured acts

I caught the gala opening night with previews of a range of shows. So I can start with those.

The Foxy Morons Present: TV Guides: This award-winning duo takes you through the Australian TV classics. Its funny, musical, feminist and much more. Overall a good laugh for anyone who watches Australian TV or visits Bunnings.



TenorUS: How can two middle-aged men sing in such a sexy way? No idea but Roger Davy and Adam Bartlett will sing swing, opera, musical theatre, rock and much more.



A Choral Smorgasbord & Carolers: One Equal Music are 5 choral soloists who bring a different approach to choral music. Choral Smorgasbord will sing songs old and new, including some very sexy choral pieces that are perfect for anyone with a choral fetish. Carolers is all about Christmas Carols as the Toucan Festival approaches Christmas. Not sure how sexy the chorals will get.



Toucan Kings: This great drag king show embraces the masculine music and mentality of the 1980s in a fun show. The award-winning lineup includes Archie Arsenic, Lord Sev, Will Turn-Her, Zelphia Man and the youngest of the crew Collin Oscopy.



Age is Just a Number: Dating for middle-aged divorcees is a whole different landscape. This play explores both relationships and family dynamics with teenage children and exes in a humorous exploration of contemporary life.



Ickoholics Anonymous: Do you know the ick? I think you do. When you are in a relationship you start to experience the ick of your partner, and for Lucy, who can't get past stage 7 of the ick in a relationship, entering a 12-step program may be the only way to save the relationship with Jerry from the ick. This one-woman musical play may just help you to get past the ick in your own relationship.



The Vintage Bells: Take contemporary songs and perform them with classic, jazz, ragtime and other styles that you could imagine hearing on an old-fashioned wireless. They mix beautiful harmonies with fun and engaging banter.



Other Performances

A Balloon Will Pop At Some Point During This Play: This one-act play looks at the search for certainty in a world where that doesn't exist. What is certain is that a balloon will pop at some point during this play. Or will it? You will have to go see the play to find out.



Women Like Us: The great comedic due, Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs, bring their very funny show that has been selling out and gaining awards all across Australia to the Toucan Club.

The Peter Allen Show: You don't have to wear a flamboyant sequined outfit to enjoy this tribute show to Australia's own iconic son, Peter Allen, but it does help. With music that still is part of the international landscape, you will find that "I Still Call Australia Home" even if "I Go To Rio".

Esther Hicks is Vibrationally Speaking: Esther Hicks is not the performer in this show, she is merely a conduit for non-physical entities. Is this a comedy or an interactive workshop of life lessons? Let the vibrations speak to you and find out.

Thank You For Waiting: You know the struggle. Automated phone systems put you in a queue and you have to wait to get through. In this epic tale, Dave is tasked by his manager to get an update on a delivery, which takes him on a journey of love, woe, rising empires, crumbling cities, repetitive hold music, and maybe, just maybe, he might even find out the status of the package.

Romance Rewind: Love Songs Through the Decades: When we think of love we think of love songs. Take a trip back through time from the 1950s to now to explore the world of romance in musical form.

Perfectly Imperfect: You might know Julee-anne Bell from her appearance on The Voice in 2021. It is more than just a musical performance but her life story, from being born blind to achieving international success with classical, pop and jazz vocals,. It is a story full of humour, inspiration, charisma and of course great music.

Queens of Song: Melissa Buchholz and Meg Kiddle sing a wide selection of Grammy Award-winning songs going back to 1959 and the first Grammy Awards. They won't just be singing the songs, but taking you on a journey that includes informative footage and photos.

Adore Handel 2019s Little Black Book: Adore Handel is pansexual drag queen, who is going to open up their little black book. Inside are takes of past lovers, partners and paramours. This comedic shows brings together original songs, opera and pop classics.

Over the Rainbow: a Judy Garland Tribute: Bernadette Pryde brings the great songs from the classic Wizard of Oz to life in this tribute to both Judy Garland and the movie.

Beebee 2019s Fantasies: It's a Beebee Riot, actually it is the one and only Beebee Riot, in a comedy, cabaret, burlesque show that is a celebration of "queer". Explore Beebee's wildest fantasies and desires from movies, comic books, cartoons and more, and enjoy Beebee's great live vocals.

Christmas-themed performances

The Toucan Festival is a good opportunity to get into the Christmas spirit with a number of Christmas shows. I have already mentioned One Equal Music's Carolers, but here are the other Christmas-themed shows.

Lucy Best 2019s Disgraceful Christmas!: At Christmas time some people are naughty, some people are nice, and some people are naughty and nice. After sell out shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, Lucy Best brings her one-woman comedy show to the Toucan Club that blends comedy, cabaret and storytelling.

Funny Mummies presents Jingle Belles: Everyone gets a staff Christmas party this time of the year, except for, of course, the hardest working among us, which are 'mamas'. Hosted by Brisbane's own Jenny Wynter with a range of surprise guests, laugh your way into Christmas with this show.

Scandalton: A Yuletide Regency Romp: Experience Christmas season scandals and comedy set during England's Regency period, and if you were wondering, that is between 1795 and 1837, which is such a saucy period for mischief. not like the stuffy Victorian times that were to follow.

Aubrey Haive Yourself a Merry Christmas:
You might know Aubrey Haive from RuPaul 2019s Drag Race Down Under. They are bringing Christmas right on time singing your favourite Christmas carols at the Toucan Club.

Before & after the event

The PIP Theatre is on wonderful Park Road in Milton, with a range of different restaurants and bars right next to the theatre. You can go as cheap as having a sandwich from Subway or enjoy La Dolce Vita underneath a replica of the Eiffel Tower, and everything in between. They also have a lovely terrace on the first floor behind the performance space, which is a great place to enjoy a few drinks before or between shows.



Getting there & away

There are buses, trains and ferries to Milton, so there is no excuse not to take public transport, other than the fact that you could walk or cycle along the river to Milton. Driving is also a good option, with the Savoir Faire Car Park free in the evenings and on weekends, except when there is an event at nearby Suncorp Stadium.

Overall

The popular Toucan festival really showcases some great local and national talent, with value-for-money tickets and a wide selection of shows. Combined with dinner before, after or even between shows, it is a great night out in the lead-up to Christmas. Ideally combine the most variety in your selection with choices of music, comedy and plays.



PIP Theatre
Phone: 0427 031 983
Address: 20 Park Rd, Milton QLD
Web: https://piptheatre.org/

Toucan Festival
November 20 to December 21
Shows on Wednesday to Saturday
Showtimes at 5:30 pm, 7:00 & 8:30
Tickets: $37 ($33 concession)
2 Ticket Deal: $50

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