Everybody Loves Lucy is a cabaret tribute to the queen of the B's Lucille Ball. Australian musical theatre star Elise McCann stars in this hilarious cabaret tribute to a true trail-blazer.
After years paying her dues in B-movies, Lucille Ball won the public’s hearts and reigned supreme as television’s biggest star in I Love Lucy – one of the most popular sitcoms in American history. Wacky, fearless, and totally endearing, Lucy broke the mold for the way women were allowed to behave on screen.
But beneath the seemingly ditzy veneer of a 1950's housewife was an ambitious and savvy businesswoman whose success owed little to luck. As the producer of I Love Lucy once said, “Lucille Ball is about as different from Lucy Ricardo as anyone could possibly be.”
The show charts Lucille's rise from B movie actress to having her own show and studio, incorporating her own family life and pregnancy into the show, the fallout between Lucille and Desi, their divorce and the end of I Love Lucy.
Elise McCann is fantastic in her tribute to Lucille Ball. The show is cleverly staged as if it was an episode of I love Lucy being filmed in front of a live audience. Nigel Ubrihien does a stellar job as Desi Arnaz and as musical accompaniment playing piano.
I loved the show however I thought the time of 70 minutes was a little rushed to the point where it left some audience members questioning if this really was the end of the show or an intermission. The show could have been a little longer and some of Lucy's back-story explained a little more. As a Lucy fan I already knew the details of Lucille Ball's rise to fame, her turbulent relationship with Dessi and the reasons behind their split and the end of the show however this did not always come across completely in the musical numbers and a little more narrative and back story would really give the show what it lacks.
Having said that I absolutely adored the show Elise McCann perfectly captured Lucille Ball's sense of comedy and the show was thoroughly entertaining.
The idea of having a secondary character of a gin swilling housewife was who watched the show was inspired as it gives the audience an insight into how I love Lucy broke boundaries and inspired women to be independent.
I would recommend the show to any Lucy fans
Everybody Loves Lucy has now closed in Brisbane but will be touring the country.
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