Kitt Ramsay brings Eve: All About Her to the Gilded Balloon’s Patter Hoose this Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Scottish actor and cabaret star takes a complex dive into the deconstruction of queer mythology and culture using All About Eve as his launchpad. The result is an exciting, challenging piece bristling with a frenetic energy courtesy of our guide on this queer odyssey.
Kitt shares that Eve: All About Her sits somewhere between “Hamlet and a Sex Pistols gig by way of Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall.” Those expecting a traditional cabaret should prepare for something a little more jagged and non-traditional and upon setting eyes upon Kitt that becomes quite clear. The star has a punky energy as he sits, wild-haired and wide-eyed in an oversized suit awaiting his public.
The performer launches into a perfect run-down of the credits of All About Eve showcasing an impressively obsessive knowledge, with Kitt utilising the skeleton structure of the 1950 American cinematic classic throughout the piece. Eve is regarded as god-like deity to Kitt. Others may have their Streisands, Beyoncés, or Monroes. Kitt has Eve.
Layering Eve: All About Her with a mix of narrative and song, Kitt showcases an impressive characterisation, rich lyricism in his writing, and a sterling musicianship as he enigmatically takes us through the various musical tapestries of the production. A smoky rendition of thirties torch song Stormy Weather provides some dark cabaret glamour, whilst Kitt’s soulful take on As Time Goes By pairs theatricality with a hint of punky energy. Kitt’s take on Liza Minnelli and the Pet Shop Boys’ spin on Losing My Mind is a highlight, whilst a moody deconstructed version of Back to Black lands impressively in the final moments.
Kitt packs his writing with references to numerous queer cultural beacons – from the name checking of luminaries such as Holly Woodlawn, Marsha P. Johnson and Candy Darling, to musical references ranging from Hole’s Celebrity Skin to Marianne Faithfull’s The Ballad of Lucy Jordan. Kitt unpacks these and countless others, displacing and injecting them into the narrative of Eve: All About Her. There’s a delightful sense of characterisation brimming throughout Kitt’s performance – capturing the glamour and excitement of his classic Hollywood inspiration.
Eve: All About Her can be a challenging piece to follow at points and admittedly it took me a few beats to find the footing of Kitt’s stylistic groove. One cannot deny that Kitt is a magnetic presence and an absorbing storyteller with a wild, vibrancy in his energy. The adoration for queer culture is apparent as Kitt joyously twists and turns it into this piece of experimental performance art.