Kate Bush may not be heading to Worthy Farm this year (could we see her in the Sunday Legend Slot anytime soon?) but you can still have an evening without the Running Up That Hill and Wuthering Heights singer.
Created by Sarah-Louise Young and Russell Lucas, An Evening Without Kate Bush is a cabaret show, performed by Young, that explores the stories of Bush’s dans while celebrating her voice and its influence on British Pop. It has earned five-star reviews in The Telegraph and The Stage, while The Times said Young captured the singer ‘uncannily’ in a glowing four-star review.
Ahead of two performances at Glastonbury Festival, we caught up with Young, who also takes the show back to Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August ahead of a national tour later in the year, to find out more about what it’s like to perform at the festival.
Q&A with Sarah-Louise Young
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got into live performance?
I’ve been a theatre-maker since I left Bristol University back in the late nineties. As well as writing, producing and performing my own solo shows I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with some amazing artists including Fascinating Aida, The Showstoppers! and La Soiree. I also enjoy directing and am especially passionate about supporting solo creatives tells their stories. I have done TV and film work but nothing beats being live and in the room. Most of the shows I make involve some element of audience interaction and I love how shows change and evolve depending on the reaction from the crowd.
What’s it like to be performing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival?
I’m thrilled to be making my Glastonbury performer debut this year. It’s such an iconic event. An Evening Without Kate Bush has been described as the ‘perfect festival show’ (by the Adelaide Advertiser) and I think that’s because festival audiences are so open and up for adventure and trying something new. People are on holiday and in a party mood, so they bring that joy into the tent with them. You don’t have to be a fan of Kate Bush to enjoy our show which means it’s great for families or groups of friends to enjoy together. I’m looking forward to meeting a mix of people who are really into her music alongside those who might just wander in and take a chance on the unexpected. I’m proud to be part of this year’s amazing line-up.
What can you tell us about your plans for the show?
We’ve been touring An Evening Without Kate Bush around the UK for the past few years and just returned from our second sold-out tour of Australia which has been amazing. We’re heading back to the Edinburgh Fringe for our third time this summer before hitting the road again in the Autumn. I’d love to perform the show in the States, Europe and anywhere they want us. It’s so full of love, celebration, music, comedy, dance and plenty of audience participation and no two shows are ever the same so I don’t think I could ever get tired of doing it. As long as I can still fit into the lycra leggings, I’m there!
How do you approach performing at a festival like this?
This is the biggest festival I have ever performed at so I am packing some good walking boots, a rain mac and some sunscreen to cover all eventualities! We performed at Beautiful Days last year which gave us a great taste for the festival atmosphere. I’ll be making sure I get some good sleep in before I come so I can party hard and last the whole weekend!
Will you be checking out any other acts across the weekend?
The Astrolabe Theatre where we are performing has an amazing line-up – I could literally just camp out there and have a fabulous time. I’ll definitely be making a bee-line for The Cocoa Butter Club, Chinnen and Alexei Sayle. You’ll also find me sneaking in to catch Cyndi Lauper and Keane before my show on the Saturday. I can’t wait!
An Evening without Kate Bush is at The Astrolabe Theatre at Glastonbury Festival on 29 and 30 June. Also at Edinburgh Fringe from 1 to 26 August, then touring
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