Type – Cabaret, Singing, Comedy
If you liked – Meow Meow’s Pandemonium, Bernie Dieter
MEOW MEOW’S THE RED SHOES: A Masterclass in Controlled Chaos – glorious, anarchic triumph of bittersweet charm and control.
To witness Meow Meow in full flight is to see cabaret in its purest, most ungovernable form. This show – a delirious blend of song, satire, and spectacular disarray which actually doesn’t have enough of MM singing in her fabulous manner – is both a send-up of diva theatrics and an unabashed celebration of them. As she is literally dragged on stage at the beginning of the show, her self-doubt and hesitant persona turns apparent chaos into high art, commanding her audience with razor wit, vocal brilliance, and a knack for turning vulnerability into power. She sings everything from Radiohead to classic Weimar cabaret without skipping a beat or a note.
Who is Meow Meow?
I’ve seen many performances by Meow Meow, who is a gorgeous Australian performer called Melissa Madden Gray, who performs torch songs and physical comedy, where she dismantles the line between performer and spectator, even climbing over the crowd with people shrieking as she does so. This is not that kind of show, and it’s rather more contemplative if anyone knows her normal style. Her voice – smoky, agile, capable of both heartbreak and hilarity – anchors the madness, reminding us that beneath the parody lies real emotional force.
Her Signature Style
Part Brechtian cabaret, part fever dream, Meow Meow’s show is a reminder that great theatre doesn’t always tidy itself up. It can be messy and dangerous – the set by Dann Barber as we enter looks reminiscent of a Beckett production of Happy Days, and then turns into a potential rendition of Frankenstein or even Rocky Horror – by this time you may be thinking WTF, but that is Meow Meow’s signature style of freaking out the audience and it all just makes sense via the wonderful music and – of course – her marvellous voice.
Is MEOW MEOW’S THE RED SHOES Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
There is really no way to describe the show apart from saying if you love shows like Cabaret, or indeed any other musicals by someone like Sondheim who take musical theatre to a new level – you need to see Meow Meow and experience what she does with the genre. It is a tragedy that brilliant performers like her end up leaving Australia and having wonderful careers in Europe because there are not enough venues and productions for her to make a good living in this country. Our loss…
See her while you can!
Tickets and Practical Info for MEOW MEOW’S THE RED SHOES in SYDNEY 🎟️
Playing Until 9 November 2025 at Belvoir St Theatre
Tickets: https://belvoir.com.au/productions/meow-meows-the-red-shoes/
Created by Meow Meow
Directed by Kate Champion
Musical Director & Sound Designer Jethro Woodward
Set & Costume Designer Dann Barber
Lighting Designer Rachel Burke
Stage Manager Sophia Morgan
Assistant Stage Manager Krystelle Quatermain
with Meow Meow, Kanen Breen, Mark Jones, Dan Witton & Jethro Woodward
