Adelaide cabaret icons Amelia Ryan, Michaela Burger, and Michael Griffiths, star in Simply Brill – The Teens Who Stole Rock and Roll. The show is simply marvelous musical storytelling, and the 2023 matinee session came with bonus nostalgia – courtesy of the Woodville Town Hall.

Following a sell-out season at the 2022 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Simply Brill is back to share the story of the American teenage songwriters who transformed 1960s rock 'n' roll forever and the building in which they did it.

Our three seasoned cabaret players, along with an amazing live 5-piece band, give voice to such iconic singers and songwriters as Bill Hayley & The Comets, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Darin, Carole King, Cynthia Weil, and Ellie Greenwich. The songs and stories will whisk you away to New York to tell deeper stories of how the classic age of rock music began in NYC, how it rose and rose, and how it ended. Between the three of them, they've mastered a wide range of songs and voices. The harmonies they create are sublime.

There were plenty of big tunes along with lesser-known songs to keep the toes tapping and the hands clapping. Tom Kneebone's guitar solos and Emile Ryjoch on sax were standout moments, with Felicity Freeman on bass and Josh Baldwin on drums keeping things rolling.

The production is super tight and flows effortlessly. Projected graphics on the rear curtain add a layer of authenticity and give the audience that extra layer of context. Throw in a costume change and plenty of humour, sprinkle in some audience participation, and you've got yourself a classic cabaret production.

This is a show for all cabaret fans - especially if the music of the 1960s is your thing. Missed it in 2023? Keep an eye on these three Adelaide cabaret superstars because they just keep getting better and I don't think they're ready to stop.