Having recently relocated to the UK from New York, Tori is navigating a new life in a new country. This is not helped by the fact that, as being part of the touring cast of The Cher Show, she has no formal home as she’s spent the past year travelling the length and breadth of the UK. Add to this that she comes to Britain at a time when everything seems to be crumbling – energy crisis, NHS crisis, cost of living crisis – and you can see why she’s keen to stress that she’s Tori with an ‘I’ (and not a Tory!)
Taking out time from her schedule playing Cher’s mother, Tori’s presenting a short run cabaret where she gives us a peek into her newfound life in the UK. We get her take on UK life, the housing market, the NHS, her dating life, touring, her former life in NYC, working in gay clubs and cruises, and a lot more. It’s quite surprising the ground she can cover in a mere 75 minutes.
This is primarily a musical cabaret. Tori is first and foremost a singer and her show is anchored around her interpretations of pop, rock and musical songs. From Queen to B*Witched, via Madonna and David Bowie, Tori belts out a barrage of songs that delightfully reference, support, embellish and expand upon her interweaving monologue.
Whilst Tori has a great and powerful singing voice, it’s her delivery and articulation that stand out here. Her delivery places equal focus on the lyrics as it does the melody, and she shifts her phrasing to help drive the song to her specific narrative. It’s a testament to her singing that, despite only being supported by Ben Papworth on piano, the performance feels full and deeply engaging.
This would be enough to make Tori with an ‘I’ a great evening out. But things elevate significantly when Tori starts talking. Tori is not just a singer, she is a very funny comedian. Her stories are laugh out loud funny and her timing is pitch perfect. She delivers her material as if she’s having a conversation with the audience; it’s so natural and instinctive. There’s obviously a script, but, in a very good way, it doesn’t feel like there is.
Tori is obviously very comfortable on stage and performing. She is a powerhouse performer that’s built up over years of experience. She makes the audience feel at home and once relaxed, she has her way with them. She’s in control, she calls the shots, and the audience is there for the ride. And what a ride it is. 75 minutes of Tori is just the tip of a goldmine of material, and it’s a wonderful time to spend with an infectiously entertaining performer. Give us more, Tori.
Runs until 6 February 2023
The Reviews Hub Score
Cabaret at its finest
