This is a cabaret show like no other.  It of course features wonderful music, singing and dancing as you would expect, but there is also education and thoughtful moments. Janie Dee’s mission on this earth, she tells us, is to save the beauty of our planet from the ongoing climate crisis. 

It feels right that this performance is taking place in the Queen Dome in Edinburgh, as we have the queen of London’s West End in front of us. The beauty of this show comes from the intimacy, the fact that Janie can look into the eyes of every single audience member adds to the powerful messages she is conveying to us. Janie has wonderful accompaniment from her musicians Sarah Harrison (violin), Igor Outkine (accordion) and Ed Zanders (piano). It means that we hear the songs of the show in a different way than ever before, it’s beautiful and haunting at times. My particular stand out was ‘Another Hundred People’ accompanied by a frenzied violin, brought goosebumps to me as suddenly I heard this song with new meaning. 

Dee is not the only star of this show though, she is supported by Josephina Ortiz Lewis as singer and dancer. Josephina has a hauntingly beautiful voice, and when singing with Dee it is a moment to behold. There is also dancer and choreographer Sophia Priolo whose movements entrance and behold us, with strong lines and large sweeping movements, she is superb to watch. 

Dee knows what her audience expects from her, and she delivers, including hits from Follies, Sunday in the Park with George and a sensual ‘Fever’ we are immersed in her world and captivated by her which means her message comes across even clearer to us that something has to change, our world is burning and every small change makes a difference. For example, Dee performs the cabaret bare faced, telling us that she chooses not to buy make-up in plastic containers which will inevitably end up in landfill one day.

There are many anecdotes around climate change and the state of our world, but at no point does it feel preachy or like it’s being forced upon us. Dee is soft in her approach, warm and gentle in showing us that there is a way to make things better. She shares with us the work of Boyan Slat who founded the non-profit organisation ‘The Ocean Cleanup’ whose goal is remove 90% of the plastic in our seas. 

Dee was inspired to do better for the planet by seeing the passion from her children and I am now inspired seeing the passion from her. I highly recommend this show for any musical theatre fans and anyone who takes any interest in saving our planet. It’s cabaret with a heart. 

This show was reviewed on the 21st August 2024 at Pleasance Dome - Queen Dome, Edinburgh where it runs until the 26th August 2024.  Tickets here: Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret | Cabaret and Variety | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)

Review written by Rosie Browne

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Photo credit: Richard Lakos

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