by Dabrowka Nowak, Second Year English
Bristol’s Redgrave Theatre was transformed for one evening into a more morbid version of a Victorian music hall, transporting the audience to a destitute world where Jack the Ripper lurks in the streets and there’s shadiness around every corner.
The Grammy-nominated trio embarked on their Nihilism Tour, bringing nothing but engrossing delight and illumination to the stage. Seeing quirky instruments is always a delight, but The Tiger Lillies took this to the next level. For the whole show, I found it impossible to take my eyes away from the constant creativity on stage.
From bassist Adrian Stout playing a curious-looking double bass and theremin to the visually macabre small skull bouncing whenever drummer Budi Butenop hit his hi-hat, musical innovation was occurring!
The personal highlight for me must have been Adrian Stout playing the saw. Having seen The Tiger Lillies a few times before, this is an element that never fails to bring fascination. Not only did this create a bone-chilling, ethereal tone to match the vibe of the lyricism, but it also added a rather on-the-nose visual element of danger to theatricalise the cut-throat themes.
In brief discussion with frontman Martyn Jacques, he tells me that the band took major inspiration from the theatrical worlds of Bertolt Brecht and Steven Berkoff. Both these practitioners create works of social satire with elements of fourth wall breaks and visual distortion. This manifested rather clearly, as one of the first things one notices about The Tiger Lillies is their striking white face paint and lips and an eye painted with black.
Budi Butenop contributed vastly to the Brechtian elements, using exaggerated facial expressions in reaction to the dark stories told by the lyrics and occasionally using a comedically timed hit of a cymbal as if he were a mime, using his instrument as his voice. This wasn’t just a musical gig; it was dramaturgy.
Even in the event of a malfunction with an accordion strap, the band mimed a push and pull whilst deftly sorting the problem. The dramatic professionalism and ability to remain in these dark, narratorial characters was vastly impressive.
The rise and fall of emotion throughout The Tiger Lillies’ set kept the audience never knowing what to expect. Martyn Jacques moved from Tom Waits-esque piano solos such as ‘Jack’ to leaping up, seizing the accordion and launching into a rapid tempo escalation to sing on ‘Heroin and Cocaine.’ Thorough entertainment was maintained beautifully throughout.
It takes enormous talent to be able to find an element within pain, drugs and murder that can evoke genuine laughter, but The Tiger Lillies managed indeed. After their encore had the audience clapping, dancing and laughing along to ‘Banging in the Nails’, the show finished off with a much-deserved standing ovation.
Seeing The Tiger Lillies is always much more than a gig, but a whole immersive experience that enlightens the audience on aspects of real life that are often overlooked, whilst leaving one in a good mood. It is a theatrical adventure I would recommend to all.
Featured Image: Dabrowka NowakHave you ever seen a show that is both haunting and hilarious?
