The Renegade Show

The Renegade Show was a loosely curated cabaret with a series of acts by emerging circus performers aged between 12-25 years. Catapult Youth Circus Festival is bi-annual performance and training opportunity for young people held in Bathurst, NSW. Established professionals from the circus and physical theatre industry perform, direct and mentor young people throughout the week. Emcee Rusty Nails is a professional performer who Emcee'd The Renegade Show using a combination of song, dance, audience interaction and improvisation. This research focuses on the performance style of 'Rusty' and her use of improvisation to generate 'cabaret consciousness' (Cowan, 2010). The improvisational element creates a sense of 'unpredictability' a key element of cabaret. This research suggests that the improvisatory nature cabaret is paradoxically carefully constructed to facilitate spontaneity from performers and spectators occur. This occurs through the curation of diverse acts, an informal and intimate performance space and through the skill of the emcee that manages the improvisatory essence of the performance.