REVIEW: Keep Yourself Alive: My Life With Queen - Abadon Productions

Keep Yourself Alive: My Life With Queen

Toucan Club Festival, PIP Theatre

Written by Liam Donnelly

Presented by Abadon Productions

Abadon Productions' burlesque show Keep Yourself Alive: My Life With Queen follows a young lad who first falls in love with the band as a kid, grows up through the halls of QUT, and eventually faces the emotional shift of Freddie Mercury leaving this life. It’s all told through diary narration and a playlist of beloved and lesser-loved Queen tracks, which I absolutely adored — especially Scandal, I Want It All, I Want to Break Free, Another One Bites the Dust, Killer Queen, and The Show Must Go On.

The cast — Eddie Ecstasy, Lacey Mclune, Peaches Velour, Tegan Kelsey, Jaz McAlpine, Simply De’Vyne, and vocalist Natalie Wyld — throw themselves into the material with real commitment. Wyld takes on three songs with confidence and flair, though it is an interesting shift hearing a female voice have a go at Freddie. The dancers are a brave and committed bunch, especially considering this is an amateur burlesque troupe tackling some pretty demanding choreography. There is so much floor work that my knees hurt just watching, plus plenty of hairography, chairography, and full-body commitment — you’ve got to admire their stamina.

The heels look fabulous under the lights, even if the carpeted stage makes them quite wobbly at times. I really love the darker lighting moments where bursts of colour pulse through the space; those scenes are the most atmospheric, giving the choreography a gorgeous silhouette effect.

Choreographically, there are flashes of brilliance… and flashes of “wait, what comes next?” When the cast remembers the steps, it genuinely looks great. But there are sections, especially the big finale Somebody to Love, where timing drifts apart and the energy gets a bit fuzzy. To be fair, the small audience on the night I attended gave the whole evening a dress-rehearsal vibe. A little extra polish and they’ll be in a solid groove for the remaining shows.

The semi-nudity is handled well, with the occasional bit of shock value, but never too risqué. The cast’s willingness to throw themselves into it deserves full admiration and honestly, I can’t fault anyone on that stage. It takes courage to perform burlesque, let alone in heels on carpet, and they’re all doing things most of us would not have the guts to try.

If you’re keen to support emerging burlesque performers and want a new spin on Queen’s music, head along to the remaining Toucan Club festival dates. Bring a friend, fill the room, and give this team the lively crowd they deserve.