Now here’s a cabaret show with a real twist.  It’s poignant, darkly witty, deeply personal, definitely informative and 95% monologue, but the 5% that is music and lyrics is essential to the story, adding unique punctuation, despite not one song being sung in its entirety.

Comedienne Ruby Wax and singer/songwriter Judith Owen have teamed up to bring a refreshingly honest and very funny show about depression. Wax laughs about her time in The Priory, where therapy included Salsa dancing while imitating a chicken. From “Cool Life,” Owen sings, “checking into rehab, that’s what all the sexy people do.” Wax divulges that her depression was fueled by envy, fame, an insatiable drive to win, juggling kids and career, always having to put on a happy face, plus well-meaning friends who think “Perk up!” should be an epiphany.

Wax cleverly points out that the disease comes with the stigma of shame because there’s nothing to “show” to prove you have it. “Depression loves everybody. Every other organ can get sick and you get sympathy, but not the brain.”

In “Sympathy” Owens sings, “Tired of my critical self. Need some sympathy from myself.” At rock bottom, Wax’s inner voice kept yelling “Loser!” and she cracked. Then, “a shot was shoved up my ass, and when I woke up, I was with my people.”

Now, when asked at a dinner party, “How are you?,” Wax replies, “I’m trying to deal with heartache and death and hurt! Hors d’oeuvre?”

If you’re in London, don’t miss it.  If it gets to New York, it should go down like honey-glazed Prozac.

The show continues through October 1.

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
September 6, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org