Robert Hofmann presents

WHAT THE FANDANGO?!

Award-winning cabaret star Robert Hofmann is back-by-popular demand at Perth FRINGE WORLD Festival 2019 with his musical-comedy show, What the Fandango?! after a smash-hit, five-star-review season at FRINGE WORLD 2018. What the Fandango?! is a multi-gendered cabaret romp through South America and beyond starring singer Robert Hofmann in an energetic blend of visual humour, spicy stand-up, and poignant performances peppered with operatic perfection. For 3 shows only, What the Fandango?! inhabits the intimate space of The Ellington Jazz Club at 5:15pm on Sunday 10th February, 7pm Monday & Tuesday 11th & 12th February. WTF?! then heads to Fremantle for two shows just in time for Valentine’s Day at The Sonar Room, Fremantle (next to Little Creatures Brewery) at 6:30pm on Thursday 14th February and Friday 15th February. At both venues the advertised time is the show start time. Doors will open about half an hour earlier when the bar will be open so patrons can purchase a drink or snack.

Meet Hofmann’s whirlwind of comic characters who started life in the award-winning Desperately Young at Heart which played at Perth FRINGE WORLD 2017 to rave reviews and a sold-out season. Hofmann splits into four powerful personas in his brilliant blend of comic genius and musical versatility creating quirky, compulsory cabaret. He breathes life into the fluro and feisty Helmut Wunderlicher who workshops standard love songs into same-sex serenades. Hofmann transforms into Dr Gaye Thyme, a glam goddess with magnificent maracas. He inhabits the outspoken Sister Virgillious who risks being shut down by the church that provides a captive audience for her former student, deluded guitar-playing singer, Susan “I know someone just like her” Higgins. These characters reveal themselves in songs ranging from Schubert to Sondheim as well as three Hofmann originals written for the show. Hofmann has sung many roles with West Australian Opera including Koko in The Mikado (2010) and was Dr Grenville in the recent production of La Traviata in Supreme Court Gardens in February 2019. He burst onto the cabaret scene in 2014 winning Best Cabaret (WA) at PERTH FRINGE WORLD for Desperately Young at Heart which toured to Melbourne, Sydney and Edinburgh to rave reviews. Hofmann also regularly sings with Perth’s own dynamic Freeze Frame Opera. He often appears as special guest with DivaLicious in Perth, Adelaide and Sydney Opera House. Robert’s next engagement is Lust in Translation with pianist Tommaso Pollio presenting songs of love & desire in German & in English before discussing the pros & cons of singing in translation on Saturday 23 Feb at 2pm in the Callaway Auditorium at the UWA for Perth Festival Writers Week.

Playing the piano accordion is the brilliant Cathie Travers whose evocative playing inspired the South American theme of What the Fandango?! Cathie is one of the finest accordionists in Australia and has collaborated with many artists including Meow Meow, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Barry Humphries. Her performance and creative work has appeared in all the major cities of Australia – and internationally in Canada, the USA, the UK, Malaysia, & Japan.

With combined performance experience of almost 70 years, Robert and Cathie unite to create an enthralling hour of musical comedy with quick change costumes by legendary designer Cherie Hewson.

Directed by the internationally renowned opera and music theatre director Stuart Maunder assisted by Penny Shaw, What the Fandango?! takes adult audiences on a wild ride into high energy cabaret.

“Genders range from male to female to the delicious any-man’s-or-woman’s land in between. And it’s all delivered with a luxurious flair for costume, a devout sense of character, and a classically trained

operatic voice”. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Brandan Taylor, Fourth Wall Media 17 February 2018

“…the pair blow all your cares away with their WTF celebration of being non-conformist”

★ ★ ★ ★ Lezly Herbert, Out in Perth 15 February 2018

“Amazing, strong voice” Shelley Mac, Weekend Notes 16 February 2018

PRAISE FOR DESPERATELY YOUNG AT HEART:

“hilarious, poignant cabaret…Hofmann’s classically trained baritone and falsetto voice is a continual wonder”

William Yeoman, The West Australian 26 January 2017

LISTINGS INFORMATION for What the Fandango?! At The Ellington Jazz Club: Venue: The Ellington Jazz Club, 119 Beaufort Street, NORTHBRIDGE, WA 6000 Date: Sunday 10th February at 5:15pm Monday 11th February at 7pm Tuesday 12th February at 7pm Tickets: SEATED: $35ea / Group 6+ $30ea STANDING: $25ea / Group 6+ $20ea At The Sonar Room, Fremantle Venue: The Sonar Room, Upstairs - 42 Mews Road FREMANTLE WA 6160 (Next door to Little Creatures Brewery) Date: Thursday 14th February at 6:30pm Friday 15th February at 6:30pm Tickets: $35ea / Group 6+ $30ea BUY TICKETS FOR BOTH VENUES AT: www.fringeworld.com.au https://fringeworld.com.au/whats_on/what-the-fandango-fw2019 Door Sales available subject to capacity. https://www.facebook.com/robert.hofmann.singer https://twitter.com/RhofmannHofmann

WATCH TRAILER of What the Fandango?! https://youtu.be/wRoNYivQXwQ

Press Enquiries: Robert Hofmann 0417 185 105 roberthofmann15@gmail.com