Dusty’s show, which clocks in at just over an hour, is a short and (bitter)sweet look at life’s big full stop. An obit junkie – Mr Limits claims to have them beamed directly to his Kindle – he begins the evening fretting about how the newsprint summation of his life will read. His rumination on death, and the bit leading up to it we call ‘life‘, takes in some great songs, some comedy, a bit of politics and an update of Roger Hargreaves’ Mr Greedy.
Dusty Limits has an impressive vocal range, whether performing Weimar Republic songs (a condition of his arts funding, we’re told), American early 20th century spirituals, Joni Mitchell, Bowie or his own satirical confections. A man who has clearly lived a suitably bohemian life, he movingly sings his favourite love song, Sondheim’s Losing My Mind, to a bottle of vodka.
It’s an amiable, always entertaining, sixty minutes. As Dusty Limits admits he’s occasionally preaching to the converted – though targets like the Catholic church, Bono and Michael McIntyre can feel a little easy. And his version of Nina Simone’s Sinnerman is so powerful that it’s a shame half way through he injects some not particularly successful humour into it (God speaking in the stock ‘accountant‘ voice).
On the whole the show is a successful example of the New Cabaret. Though in future hopefully his jaundiced look will take in aspects of modern-day homosexuality as well as religion, and maybe he’ll make good on his promise to be less stand-up comedy and more ‘sit down misery‘.
Continues at the Emporium Theatre, London Road, until Thursday, July 25.
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