[Music ~ AUS] 

The Jade, Fri 16 Feb, 2024. 

 As The Jade begins to fill it is clear that there will be more than the eight people. Charles Jenkins feared that would be the total audience. (Did he bring enough merch?) To begin with it is just him on stage with an acoustic guitar that has seen a lot of service. There are no props or costumes or glitzy makeup. What is on show are the songs – Charles Jenkins is a master songwriter.

He begins with some light banter – he is staying with his 88 year old mother who lives in Marden – cue some jokes about Marden and his mother’s concern about his appearance. His Adelaide background means he knows how to hit the mark.

The set tonight is largely taken from his time with the Zhivagos, so it is fitting that fellow Zhivago Art Starr joins him on stage to add some tasteful colour on electric guitar.

There is only one cover for the night, apparently by request – Tom Waits’ “Picture In A Frame”. After joking that the only request for the night had not been for one of his, he performs a totally convincing version – not caricaturing Tom Waits, but treating it like it was his own.

Jenkins does not write funny songs per se, but his sardonic wit permeates many of the songs. ‘I could’ve gone to Paris and then gone on to Spain but I ended up in Fairfield in the pissin’ rain’.

He has written a song for the occasion entitled The Opening Night Of The Fringe which may or may not ever get a second hearing. If not then we have been treated to something very exclusive.

In his adopted hometown Jenkins teaches songwriting, and he lets us in on one of his techniques– sit on the couch, with a guitar at hand, turn on the TV to SBS World Movies and strum along to the subtitles’. Then follows a song called ‘Off The Tip Of The Peloponnese’.

There is a singalong near the end in 7 Creeks (The Crossdresser Steve Hart) with the audience being encouraged to join in with ‘it felt so good to have a petticoat on’.

There is so much glam and razzamatazz to be enjoyed at the Fringe that it feels a little like we are at the fringe of the Fringe. But it’s a good place to be!