Self-confessed 'anthemaniac' Geraldine Quinn, brings her latest award-winning show, You're The Voice, to Brisbane.
There's an interesting backstory to the John Farnham-inspired title of the show. “I was at Edinburgh Fringe in 2010 and ran into Dead Cat Bounce. They were doing the song at Late & Live, but the singer, James, had shredded his voice, so I sang. All these people lost their minds. It made me realise how a song can transform people into air-punching, war-crying, glorious beings.
“The title of the song is also very much what the show's about – you don't have to compare yourself to what you or other people think you should be doing, you're actually in a good spot.”
Geraldine has spent a lot of time researching what makes an anthem. “I did an epic rock song show and the set list was a mix of truly great songs and really camp songs, so that was good groundwork for my own writing. I got to look at what worked about these groups. It's anything where you can stand on stage in tight pants with your legs apart, holding a microphone and howling a note! There's a hefty layer of irony as well as genuine love!”
The show looks at the increasingly commonplace disillusion affecting modern society. “A lot of unhappiness people feel comes from a disconnection between their aspirations and what they've actually achieved, the feeling you were cheated or deserved more. Different people get different things out of the show, but it's not an age thing, you can feel like this at 25 or 55. But the whole show is absolutely positive and celebratory, because that's what the anthem style of music is.”
Unsurprisingly, You're The Voice has moments of poignancy as well as comedy. “I've always been interested in creating shows with some depth to them. I feel like I can get away with the poignant moments more easily in cabaret, but you still get a smile out of the quieter songs at comedy shows. You reflect and give someone something to take away, hopefully!”
In the near future, Geraldine has no plans to rest after the touring the show. “I'm looking at a new idea and I've already been talking to Casey Bennetto. But it will be something else completely different – 'ambitious' is probably too simple a word for what I'm thinking!”
