Cabaret

  • Fringe Festival

The Von Donk Family Old-Timey Vaudeville Revue

A rip-roaring tribute to all the music, magic & comedy of the 20th century (except minstrel shows).

A man with short blonde hair wearing a blue and white sailor's outfit sits as a woman wearing an identical sailor suit stands behind him and rests her hands on his shoulder. Both have ridiculous smiles and they are against a yellow background.
Four people are posing in a playful manner against a bright yellow background, as if all dancing in unison. The two women and two men are dressed in nautical-themed outfits. One man is in a blue suit, while the others are wearing white sailor uniforms. They are all smiling and leaning forward with their arms outstretched, creating a dynamic and lively group pose.
Two people, a man and a woman, are dressed in matching sailor-themed outfits with white tops and blue collars. They are both smiling and posing in a playful manner, with one hand raised to their foreheads in a salute. The background is a bright yellow color, adding to the cheerful and lively atmosphere of the image.
Past Event

Image Credit: Mark Gambino

A man with short blonde hair wearing a blue and white sailor's outfit sits as a woman wearing an identical sailor suit stands behind him and rests her hands on his shoulder. Both have ridiculous smiles and they are against a yellow background.
Four people are posing in a playful manner against a bright yellow background, as if all dancing in unison. The two women and two men are dressed in nautical-themed outfits. One man is in a blue suit, while the others are wearing white sailor uniforms. They are all smiling and leaning forward with their arms outstretched, creating a dynamic and lively group pose.
Two people, a man and a woman, are dressed in matching sailor-themed outfits with white tops and blue collars. They are both smiling and posing in a playful manner, with one hand raised to their foreheads in a salute. The background is a bright yellow color, adding to the cheerful and lively atmosphere of the image.

  • Created and Performed by: Andrew McClelland & Louisa Fitzhardinge

  • Created and Performed by: Greg Lavell

  • Outside Eye: Lawrence Leung & Maja Brydevall

Estranged siblings, Lottie and Vaughn Von Donk (Andrew McClelland and Louisa Fitzhardinge), perform a career-spanning retrospective of original old-timey songs to honour their family vaudeville troupe after the untimely death of their parents in a freak tap-dancing accident. They’ll revisit all the songs and routines that made their family a household name from 1887 to 1996. From silent film to 60's dance crazes, the Von Donk family did it all. There will of course be music! Dance! Sketches! Magic! Costumes! Rivalry! An accompanist (Greg Lavell)!

The real-life husband-and-wife (and-wife’s-ex-partner) team of Andrew McClelland, Louisa Fitzhardinge and Greg Lavell are all renowned performers in their own right.

Andrew has written and toured 17 hour-long comedy shows including The Very Model of a Modern Major Musical, Time Ninjas (with Lawrence Leung, winner of Sydney Comedy Festival’s Jury Prize) and A Somewhat Accurate History of Pirates (1550-2017) (MICF Comedians’ Choice Award). He is also a famed international DJ (really).

Louisa’s critically-acclaimed musical comedy, Comma Sutra, has toured for over ten years, enjoying six consecutive years of sold out runs at Perth Fringe and a Best Cabaret nomination. She is the creator and host of improvised pun slam The Australian O-Pun, and a member of much-loved Melbourne improvised comedy troupes The Big HOO-HAA!, Impromptunes, Murder Village and Spontaneous Broadway.

Greg Lavell is a renowned accompanist and performer with his own improv theatre company, Melbourne Unscripted. He won the 2023 Green Room award for 'Outstanding Musical Direction' for Cabaret Unscripted, which was also nominated for Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe 2023.

Magic consultant Lawrence Leung.

"Incredibly surprising and well executed... A really light-hearted and joyous hour treat." – Hugging Comedians ☆☆☆☆1/2

“A meticulous show that’s both an ode to different vaudeville styles of the 20th century and a bloody good time." – The Age ☆☆☆☆

djandrewmcclelland.com