Musical chameleon Michael Griffiths brings his Cole Porter tribute show to the Jazz and Cabaret Festival. He tells Cityscape what drew him to the songs of the Broadway maestro, and who his dream collab would be with.

What are your favourite Cole Porter songs and why? I’m a big fan of 'Love For Sale', it’s so haunting and melancholy. Also hard to go past a good Porter ‘list' song, and ‘Let’s Do It’ always goes down a treat. The magic with Cole Porter is that you can have already heard his songs a thousand times and they remain still as delightful as on first hearing. The pining romance in ‘Night And Day’ is very special and I reckon that one's my favourite.

When did you discover the music of Cole Porter? I studied musical theatre in the late ‘90s in Western Australia and I remember in history class being brought up to speed with his early Broadway success. I knew some of the obvious popular songs but it wasn’t until preparing for this show in 2015 that I really immersed myself in his work. Better late than never.

What were the challenges in taking on his character? It's not as simple as being a strict character study, it's also about a pleasing hour of storytelling and where my own talents fit in. Nailing his accent has always been a tricky one. There are no recordings of him speaking (that I’ve found yet) but there are recordings of him singing ‘You’re The Top’ and ‘Anything Goes’ in which he sounds decidedly like Noel Coward. Also to consider is his extraordinary wealth – his family was one of the richest in Indiana, and privilege has an accent of its own. My main concern during a performance is diction – I know Cole Porter was an absolute stickler for it.

You credit Barry Humphries with giving the show its debut at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival – what can you tell us about that? It’s funny, Barry was artistic director for one year only and the first show I pitched was a yet-to-be-written Kylie Minogue tribute (which ended up appearing a few years later). He’s not a massive fan of Kylie’s work – I’m not sure he’s really in her demographic. It was really out of him passing over on Kylie that Cole was born. The idea of a Cole Porter show was suggested in dinner conversation by my friend (and acclaimed writer) Anna Goldsworthy but I was quite certain at the time she was merely being polite. Once Kylie was out of the question I threw the concept of Cole Porter in the ring and turns out Barry Humphries is a massive Cole Porter fan, he loves the old world and we all went straight to work. I had a mountain of songs to learn and Anna began studying up on his life. We chose songs together – some were non-negotiable and others were chosen on whether or not I could do them justice.

Compared with today, Cole and his friends led quite a wild life it would seem? His life today would be compared to that of a rock star. Freddie Mercury comes to mind, or Elton John, both because of their sexuality and also because of a sense of opulence and excess in their personal lives. The parties he threw with his wife Linda were legendary – there were cross-dressers, champagne and cocaine galore. And his 'men only’ Sunday pool parties in Hollywood were the most sought-after ticket in town.

Your career has moved from musicals to cabaret – how are they different? There’s a joy in being cast in a long-running musical in that it means you no longer have to audition for a while. Auditions are the worst! Freelancing in cabaret gives me incredible freedom and has taken me to all corners of the world. It also means I no longer audition but the flipside is that I have to claw my way from show to show, always thinking two steps ahead of my next gig. It’s very satisfying creating your own work but it is rather precarious making a living from it. The freedom on stage is the ultimate difference – in a long-running musical you are paid to deliver it exactly the same each night. In cabaret I make sure each performance is unique.

You have also performed shows about Annie Lennox, Madonna and Kylie Minogue – what attracted you to them as subject matter? I grew up loving them through my formative teenage years when I was utterly obsessed with pop music. They each have left their own incredible musical legacy and I was really spoilt for choice. The shows each have their own specific tone and have formed a kind of trilogy. Happily they cover three different corners of the world too.

Who would you love to collaborate with? I’m a massive Pet Shop Boys fan and would jump at the opportunity to do anything with them. They never cease to surprise me. I was at the Edinburgh Fringe last year and saw a comedy cabaret show they’d written songs specifically for. In the last few years they’ve written a West End musical, a ballet score and a film score and have continued to release their signature pop.

What has been the most surreal moment in your career/life to date? Performing my Madonna tribute for a Saudi prince in the Seychelles in his private theatre and with 100 or so of his closest friends. I was under strict instructions not to look directly at him, and if he stood to leave, the performance was to end immediately. Happily he laughed and clapped the whole show. It was utterly surreal.

What advice would you give to your younger self? Success isn’t what you think it is. Keep practising – it’s a marathon, not a race. Your limitations are only the ones you set for yourself.

Is there a particular book or author that has inspired you in your life or career? I love both Alain de Botton and David Sedaris in equal measure. First for the sound wisdom and second for the laughter out loud.

What’s your favourite way to spend a Sunday afternoon? I love a good bush walk. There’s lots of great walking trails not far from where I live in Adelaide. More often than not I’m travelling home from a gig on a Sunday so dinner out on Sunday night is always welcome.

Anything on the cards for when you’re in Christchurch? I’ve been coming to Christchurch pretty regularly since my first trip as a tourist in 2008. Pretty sure this will be my fifth visit and it’s been so fascinating seeing the town rebuild with such elegant flair. It really is the modern world’s most extraordinary and beautiful city. I’m always happy to spend the afternoon wandering around on foot seeing what’s popped up since my last trip. The coffee everywhere is all pretty amazing too.

Jazz & Cabaret Festival, November 17 - 22, 2020
michaelgriffiths.co

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