Background …
The idea of putting together my own show was born as I sat in the audience at the Karnak Playhouse in May 2008, enjoying a fabulous performance of “Songs My Mother Taught Me” by Lorna Luft
(for those who don't know, her Mum was Judy Garland); watching and listening to Lorna having great fun singing her songs with a fabulous backing band I thought “I'd like to do that!”.
Turning that little germ of an idea into an actual live show took a lot of time and a lot of effort by a lot of people … one of the problems was that plenty of local semi-professional musicians were
initially very keen to provide backing where necessary - until they tried playing the songs I wanted to include! Guys, if they were easy to play, I would just have done it all myself! To
cut a long story short, I made an appeal for help to local musical guru and owner of Pegasus Recording Studios Nigel Pegrum, and he came up with four wonderful professional musicians who had
no problem at all playing the songs and who had exactly the right level of fun-loving and enthusiasm for a show of mine! Next, the show needed a name. As I've already explained (see ‘Bio’ to
refresh your memory!) I was given the nickname “The Quirky One” (which often morphed into “The Queen of Quirk”) by a muso friend in Port Douglas back in about 2003, and it has stuck. I wanted to
capitalise on my local notoriety as The Quirky One, and one evening, in darkest New South Wales, John and I having dinner with four of our bestest friends, between us the six of us came up with
Quintessential Quirk. It was perfect.
The show …
The general format of the first show morphed between various ideas before I finally settled on a plan, and that has formed the overall ‘template’ for Quintessential Quirk shows from then on: first off you get
me solo (which may be singing a cappella or with my guitar or keyboard as accompaniment); part way through the first set I bring on individual guests who perform with me and, in some instances, I leave them
to it for their own number (chance for a frock change!!); the first set finishes with all the guests joining me in a ‘special’ number; after the break my instruments are set aside and I am accompanied by
a 4-piece band and some backing singers, my lovely Quirkettes. This second set is where I can live out my ‘Lorna Luft fantasy’ - and sing a load of songs that I particularly love but can't play!! The
shows are rated as PG - some of the songs have adult themes!
Our debut show was in September 2009 at the Clink Theatre in Port Douglas, with all profits going to help with the up-keep of that beautiful little Theatre. The following year we took a new show to
the Rondo Theatre in Cairns and then as a dinner cabaret show back in Port Douglas. All shows have raised much needed funds for worthy local charities.
Previous performances …
13 Sep. 2009 - Clink Theatre, Port Douglas - Quintessential Quirk
13 Nov. 2010 - Rondo Theatre, Cairns - Quintessential Quirk 2010 (aka QQ2)
28 Nov. 2010 - Rydges Ballroom, Port Douglas - Quintessential Quirk 2010 (aka QQ2)
