“Men will probably disappoint you,” Nigella sighs, looking longingly into one of the bowls strewn across her kitchen bench. “But cheese… that’ll just give you cramps.”
'Nigella – Love Bites’ is a cabaret comedy that tracks the ups and downs in the life of everyone’s favourite domestic goddess, Nigella Lawson.
Raelene Isbester’s Nigella isn’t asking for much, just a fair go and a chance to enjoy a glass of red in peace.
Emerging on stage (19 March) in stiletto heels and a wine-stained dressing gown, Nigella opens her near-empty fridge, selects a bottle of whipped cream and begrudgingly takes phone calls dealing with her tarnished media reputation.
The audience is treated to a series of light-hearted, classically innuendo-strewn ditties, as Nigella whips up a feast in the kitchen. A brave audience member assists with suggestively stuffing a plastic chicken and “masterbashing” ingredients.
The show eventually takes a strange turn to the darker side of the celebrity cook’s career, with the content of a couple of songs straying into her media and marital hardships. Although this serves as a heartfelt statement about the destructive power of the media, it feels a little at odds with the rest of the performance.
Luckily, our harangued hostess is back on track and ready to take on the world for the finale – an ode to self-love and the pleasures of the kitchen – winking, lip-licking and true to form.
'Nigella – Love Bites' took place as part of Adelaide Fringe 2017 at the Spiegel Zelt at Gluttony.
