Women With Standards is a cabaret production co-created by vocalists Naomi Eyers, Libby O’Donovan, Melissa McCaig and Lee McAllistair, and directed by Karen Hadfield. The show premiered at the 2004 Adelaide Cabaret Festival with a critically acclaimed season, followed by appearances at the 2004 Feast Festival, 2005 Adelaide Festival Centre Big Backyard series, 2005 Outback Jazz Festival and a ‘triumphant return season’ at the 2005 Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Women With Standards appeared at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006 with great success.
"Four women with great voices and a song list of classics, is a recipe for a great night out, but these four with their glittering stage presence and subversive rewriting of familiar lyrics, make it a world-class cabaret event." - The Advertiser
"The surprise hit of the 2004 Adelaide Cabaret Festival... this show features superb musical arrangements of a repertoire of familiar song standards. The format allows each of the performers room to establish their own personalities and display their individual talents." - Cabaret Hotline Online
"Harmonies this close and this well-performed don’t come easily – but then again, with 50 or more years of combined experience on the stage, you’d expect something special." - Blaze Magazine
It might have all gone wrong, until the ladies opened their mouths. The entire audience sat back and basked in an incredible display of vocal pyrotechnics, very sexy, very natural-looking choreography and fun banter.
Actually, the banter, while fun, proved that the quartet were right to become singers, and not comedians, but they pitched the mood just right, so no-one complained.
The four ladies, Naomi, Libby, Lee and Mel each had distinctive and powerful voices, and wholly individual personalities which shone throughout the show, but when the four sang together, it was astounding."
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