13 September, 2019
From the first driving beats of disco music to the strobing spotlights you know you’re going to be in for a good time and this Friday night audience at the Concert Hall at QPAC is clearly ready to party.
They erupt as a sequin caped figure emerges on to the stage and launches into the first hit of the night.
Whilst you may not know the name Trevor Ashley, you’ll certainly be familiar with some of the shows he’s performed in; Hairspray, Les Miserables, Priscilla as well as his own cabarets.
Supported by a slick eight-piece band lead by the talented James Simpson, Ashley regales the audience with colourful tales of his twenty years in show business.
His career has spanned his start in drag shows and cabaret to musicals as well as to creating and touring his own shows both locally and internationally.
Ashley appears as himself in the first act singing a variety of songs covering his career.
His voice soars with an incredible range matched by his physical energy.
He sings and dances his way through a range of numbers interspersed with humorous and naughty asides.
He’s joined in two numbers by a former castmate, Jaz Flowers singing numbers from Les Mis and Hairspray.
However, it’s in the second act that Ashley really comes into his own or rather, Miss Shirley Bassey makes her entrance complete with trademark mannerisms and a to- die-for gown.
This is what the audience has been waiting for and Ashley certainly delivers.
This is followed by an encore performance by Liza Minnelli singing New York New York which absolutely brings the house down.
It’s a great number that brings the audience to its feet and provides the perfect finish to a fabulous evening.
A Diva indeed.