The online home of cabaret performer Robert Green.
The Robert Green Story
Robert Green has been singing in cabaret for many years, quietly building a noisy following. Born in Sydney, he has performed in many of that city’s leading cabaret rooms, including El Rocco (his home base since 2008), Villa Caprese, the Side On Café, Café de Lane and Pastel’s Coffee Palace. Robert’s show Let’s Do It – a salute to two of Robert’s specialties, Noël Coward and Cole Porter – played the 2000 Adelaide Fringe Festival. Robert has also acted, notably in the Genesian Theatre’s 2011 production of The Fantasticks. His theme song is “Shall We Dance” from The King and I, in a version arranged by the New York-based pianist David Gaines.
His training includes the Art of Cabaret course at the Perry Mansfield Performing Arts Camp in Colorado USA in 2006 (with Barry Kleinbort, Andrea Marcovicci, David Gaines, Shelly Markham, Chris Denny and Karen Mason). Aside from Coward and Porter, Robert’s repertoire ranges from Sondheim to Dolly Parton to the Pet Shop Boys. As a fan wrote on his Facebook page about one of his shows: “I enjoyed the show very much. It was a cleverly crafted, witty, engaging and fun performance, full of wisdom about love, lies and denial.”
His training includes the Art of Cabaret course at The Perry Mansfield Performing Arts Camp in Colorado USA in 2006 (with Barry Kleinbort, Andrea Marcovicci, David Gaines, Shelly Markham and Chris Denny and Karen Mason). His repertoire spans from Noel Coward to Dolly Parton and much in between and side by side. His theme song is Shall We Dance, from the King and I, in a version arranged by David Gaines.
Why does Robert do cabaret? He recalls the “abject terror” he felt upon doing his first show in 1984. Yet as he explains: “Cabaret gives me enormous satisfaction. As a performer, the two most fabulous things you can ever hear are laughter and applause. Then when people tell you that a song you sang made them cry – when you can touch people in certain ways – you realize how special this is.”
Quotes and Reviews
Lloyd Bradford Syke, crikey.com.au, Aug. 31, 2011, on Serenely Independent?: “Mr. Green is a sensitive and perspicacious soul who embraces great songs from whatever source they derive, without fear but with discerning favour and consuming passion…. Rob Green is, perhaps, to the cabaret and musical theatre stage, what, say, the late, lanky, Yanky Don Lane was to live television…His song selection and the economical, erudite and keenly observed patter in between are outstanding…. a man of discernment and feeling.”
David Kary, Sydney Arts Guide, Aug. 15, 2011 (on Serenely Independent?): “Green showed off his fine singing voice and a witty approach to his material … [He] joked with the audience about his day job. He is an inner-city lawyer. ‘Seeing how little the ticket price admission is, I guess you can call me an expensive lawyer – we do charge in six-minute units – and a cheap bar singer!”
David Kary, Sydney Arts Guide, Nov. 15, 2012, on Here and Now: “Balladeer Robert Green, with Alexander Sussman tinkling away at the piano, wowed audiences with a medley of some twenty songs from The Master, Noel Coward…. Green delivered a ripper of a version of ‘Mrs. Worthington’ and performed the slow numbers well too, including a delicate, well-phrased rendition of ‘Let’s Say Goodbye.’”
From a fan on Facebook: “I enjoyed the show very much … a truthful confrontation of the ups and downs of L.O.V.E. Robert has convincingly delivered the stories.”
Ros & Tony Strong after a charity performance for the Maybanke Foundation: “It was a lovely afternoon and everyone enjoyed the show and appreciated your great rapport with Coward, the splendid delivery and lovely easy accompaniment.”
Another Facebook fan: “Congratulations, Robert Green, on a sensational performance last night at El Rocco.”
Book Robert Green for your next function
Over the years Robert has performed at many weddings, parties and corporate events.