- Dusty Limits
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Dusty Limits
Dusty Limits is a cabaret singer and comedian based in the United Kingdom, and one of the leading figures on the “new cabaret” scene.
Contents
Biography
Dusty Limits first appeared in cabaret in Brisbane, Australia, and made his European debut in 1999.[1] He has a three-and-a-half octave vocal range, and is notable for his interpretations of the songs of Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, Noël Coward, Tom Waits, Stephen Sondheim, Jacques Brel, Portishead, Tom Lehrer, David Bowie and Nick Cave. He also writes original songs, usually with a macabre or satirical twist, including such songs as "I Am A Jolly Self-Harmer" and "Cocaine Socialist".
Since 1992, he has also performed as an actor on stage and film, sometimes also performing under the name of Dorian Black.[2] From 2003 to 2005, he had his own monthly show in London under the titles Dusty Limits and Friends and Dusty Limits Etc. Since 2003 he has performed every year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, either in his own one-man cabarets and as host and programmer of variety nights including the Vaudeville at the Bongo Club. He most recently hosted the Bongo Club Cabaret in 2010.[3] He was also for a number of years a judge and occasionally compere for the Tap Water Awards.[4]
He has appeared on the bill with many of the leading performers in the worlds of neo-Weimar cabaret and burlesque, including Amanda Palmer, Camille O'Sullivan, Justin Bond, Meow Meow, Miss Behave, Empress Stah, Jonny Woo, The Luminescent Orchestrii, Fancy Chance, Paul L Martin, Immodesty Blaize, Kittie Klaw, Roxy Velvet, Gill Manly, Taylor Mac, Amy G, Baby Dee, Daniel Isengart, Ali McGregor, Nathan Evans and Holly Penfield. He appeared at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in an evening of celebrity interviews which included Ruby Wax, Miriam Margolyes and Belinda Lang.
In 2004, he performed at the Brisbane International Cabaret Festival.[5] In 2006, he performed at Don't Tell Mama and Joe's Pub in New York City.[6] He also appeared on the bill of Weimar New York at the Spiegeltent in 2007.[7]
In 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Dusty Limits hosted a nightly revue at the Bongo Club Cabaret. In 2007, he was winner in the Ministry of Burlesque Awards for both Best Male Singer and Best Male Performer. Ministry of Burlesque performance at Glasgow's High Tease
In October 2007, he premiered a new show, The Picture of Dusty Limits, co-hosted by burlesque sword-swallower Miss Behave. It featured a number of original songs by Dusty Limits and his musical collaborator and accompanist, Michael Roulston. It has been reprised several times, being largely rewritten and updated each time. Most recently, he performed a completely revised version of the show at the Famous Spiegeltent as part of the Edinburgh Fringe, garnering 5-star reviews.
In 2008, Dusty Limits appeared as a guest performer in the sell-out season of Miss Behave's Variety Nighty at The Roundhouse in Camden, North London.[8] He has also been engaged in writing for Mr Donne's Particular Cabinet, a full-length 'narrative cabaret' show.[9]
From 2007 to 2009 Dusty has programmed and hosted a monthly new-cabaret showcase at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern called first Kabarett and then KUNST, which means 'Art' in German. The night features both established and up-and-coming performers and has included a number of noteworthy artists on the European cabaret circuit, such as Fancy Chance, Frisky and Mannish, Bourgeois and Maurice, Chrisalys, Desmond O'Connor and Lucifire.[10]
In 2009 he was one of four major neo-cabaret artists to perform as part of Space Oddities, an evening of cabaret dedicated to retro-futurism. The others were Ruby Blues, Jonny Woo and Empress Stah.
He has appeared every year from 2002 in the Battersea Barge pantomime, which he has written and directed several times. Most recently, he performed as Hildegaard Von Boss, in Cinderella and the Glass Ceiling.
In 2008 he co-produced a mock wedding which included performances by many of London's top cabaret and burlesque artistes. [11]
In May 2010 he was one of a handful of top London cabaret artists to perform at the Time Out Alternative Eurovision competition. He performed an original song entitled "Je Suis Eurostar", a parody of Eurovision, under the name 'Dana Euronational'. He is shortly to perform as part of the Grimeborn Festival in a short experimental opera piece entitled CROW, with music by Michael Roulston. He most recently appeared at the Famous Spiegeltent as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in his one-man show The Picture of Dusty Limits, to outstanding reviews.,,[12][13][14] ' Dusty was also interviewed for the BBC Radio 2 program Come to the Cabaret, which featured interviewees including Lisa Appignanesi, Paloma Faith, Julian Clary, Amy Saunders, Immodesty Blaize and Barry Cryer and was hosted by Paul O'Grady.
In January 2011, Dusty was one of ten cabaret artists, including David Hoyle and EastEnd Cabaret, who had their own Time Out London cover in a special edition celebrating the resurgence of cabaret.[15]
Media
2010
Dusty interviewed for BBC Radio 2 program, Come to the Cabaret, hosted by Paul O'Grady. Dusty speaks mainly on the history of Berlin cabaret and the role of the Emcee.
2009
Dusty establishes a public blog
2008
Dusty Limits was one of three cabaret performers profiled by a Newsweek article examining the resurgence of cabaret, the others being Michael Feinstein and Ute Lemper.[16]
Dusty was featured on the cover of TIme Out issue 1958, the Sex and Books issue, as part of a group of five leading burlesque artistes, and solo on page 20 where he is posed reading a book in a standing pose.
Te Time Out review of 2008 (December 18 edition) named Dusty Limits as one of the four main neo-cabaret guards, (along with Jonny Woo, Justin Bond and Empress Stah) who had done "exceptional work". In the same issue he was also one of the 10 "scene leaders" invited to share their personal highlights of the year in the Social Club section feature.
2007
References
- ^ The Stage, June 22, 2006
- ^ Dusty Limits home page
- ^ http://www.edinburghguide.com/edgforum/viewtopic.php?t=4087
- ^ http://www.tapwaterawards.org/
- ^ http://www.brisbanecabaretfestival.com/history.htm
- ^ http://www.joespub.com/component/option,com_shows/task,view/Itemid,40/id,1912
- ^ http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/219600/
- ^ http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/21517/miss-behaves-variety-nighty
- ^ Dusty Limits home page
- ^ http://www.rvt.org.uk
- ^ http://www.timeout.com/london/clubs/features/1664/Social_Club.html
- ^ http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/08/fringe-review-the-picture-of-dusty-limits/
- ^ http://hairline.org.uk/2010/08/26/the-picture-of-dusty-limits/
- ^ http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/100415-dusty-limits-the-spiegeltent
- ^ http://www.timeout.com/london/cabaret/article/1933/how-cabaret-seduced-london
- ^ Newsweek, January 14, 2008
External links
Categories:- Cabaret singers
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