Week long Fife Cabaret Festival set to take centre stage

Following the success of last year’s festival and the popularity of the regular cabaret nights at the Kings Live Lounge in Kirkcaldy, organisers have lined up a programme of entertainment over seven days, starting on Monday, July 24.

Amby Stanyer-Hunter, who is behind the festival, explained: “Last year’s festival was really good and there was a lot of people attending. All the shows were pretty busy.

We did the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so this year we thought we’d try a whole week.”

The festival will offer an event each day, with two on the Saturday, featuring an incredible line up of talent including many local acts as well as some who are travelling from around Scotland for the occasion.

With the programme running over a full week this year rather than the three days it did last year, Amby has added a few new elements that he’s sure the audiences will love.

Kicking off this year’s festival is the Kids’ Cabaret, featuring local youngsters performing on stage and focusing largely on dance and music.

Amby said: “We have performers from two local dance schools, a couple of Highland dancers, three singers and a guy playing guitar.”

The festival continues to expand on last year’s offering on both the Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

"Tuesday is Band Night,” Amby explains. “We’ve got five bands playing. Four of them are established local acts – Cornfield Chase, Voodoo Pilots, The Long Road and The Passing Sages – and the fifth is new and acoustic, Primal. There’s a good mix of styles in terms of the music and most, if not all, have already played the Kings before.”

There’s a pub quiz with a difference on Wednesday night. The Cabaret Quiz Amby is describing as being like a live quiz.

He said: “Instead of having tracks playing for the music round, on the night we will have Holly Roseanna performing the tracks on stage. She’s going to be singing sections of music from musicals and films just so it’s a bit more interactive. We’ve also got someone who will be doing spoken word monologues from stage shows and films. We’re trying to offer as much variety as possible.”

The Thursday evening will be the ‘Fresh Faces’ night featuring acts who have not performed on the Kings stage with Contrived Cabaret before. Amby stressed that although it’s called Fresh Faces it’s not like an open mic night and many of those who are on the bill are well established and have been performing to audiences for years – just not here in Kirkcaldy.

A comedy night is planned for the Friday, but it’s not all about stand up comedians. The acts cover a range of performance styles – all with a comic element.

On the Saturday there is a matinee – Darling Clementine’s Cupcake Cabaret – which Amby describes as a more kitsch burlesque show ahead of the Festival Finale on the Saturday night.

"It’s called the finale but we still have a supper show on the Sunday,” Amby explained.

"It’s the regular crew that do the Contrived Cabaret nights at the Kings. It’s the acts that everyone knows and loves and come specifically to see. On the Sunday we’re doing a Supper Cabaret which means people can have something to eat and be entertained at the same time. It’s a two course dinner and the chance to see six acts do two performances each.

“Most of the other cabaret shows that we’re running will have 12 performers with a variety of styles so perhaps there will be a burlesque dancer, an aerial artist, a singer, a pole dancer and a comedian. We also have a magician on one night. It’s about giving people the chance to see a variety of acts and styles here in Kirkcaldy.

“I’m really happy with the line up. All the acts have earned the right to be there. There’s a lot of experienced and quality acts taking part.

“It’s an opportunity for Kirkcaldy to have something to be proud of and I would urge the public to support what’s given.”

Tickets are available from the Kings Live Lounge website. The majority of shows are for those aged 18 and over, with the band night on Tuesday being an exception with over 14s allowed.