Bigger & Blacker | Steven Oliver
He’s an actor.
A writer.
A teacher.
A dancer.
A poet.
But self-described ‘faboriginal’ Steven Oliver, renowned for his versatility in the arts and beyond, latest cabaret show supersedes all the aforementioned.
Bigger & Blacker, original music and material devised and written by Steven Oliver, is an autobiographical comedy cabaret that delves deep into his journey as a gay Aboriginal man or as Steven so succinctly puts it ‘a minority within a minority.’
Creatively combining comedy and contemplation and drawing on his personal life experiences as an Aboriginal person Bigger & Blacker is a candid nod and a no-holds-barred ode to Steven’s personal journey.
In Bigger & Blacker Steven’s repertoire is vast, a true testament to his talent and artistic eclecticism. His musical repertoire transitions easily from glam pop to lilting lullabies to rapid fire rap and even upbeat poetry, all the time entertaining the audience with his saucy stories of love, loss, the downside of fame and the milestones in his life.
Throughout his performance Steven uses his hands and body for more dramatic effect as he regales us with his travels through unlikely spaces including the back room of a gay bar where he so candidly observes ‘Aboriginal men won’t be hard to find because we’re the only blacks’.
For just over an hour Steven’s enthralling vignettes had the audience laughing out loud and shimmying in their seats. The songs are terrific with no pre-recordings. No subject was taboo. From mental health issues to his ‘sister girl’ Jessica Mauboy, Steven’s refreshing and unflinching look at life through his eyes is confronting, honest and heartfelt.
Most importantly, Steven’s sharing of his personal journey is a poignant reminder of what it means to be an Aboriginal person living in Australia. It particularly highlighted the lack of diversity and the inclusion of BIPOC in the arts, a safe space to share stories and acknowledging the rich contribution by our First Nations. Steven owned his story and was bold enough to tell like it is! This writer was ecstatic. Finally she got to experience a performance by a multi-talented proud Aboriginal that was delivered with pizzazz, aplomb and a wicked sense of humour and who commanded the stage from beginning to end. Like me, the audience was smitten.
Accompanied by Helpmann-Award winner Michael Griffiths on piano, the duo titillated the audience with their ‘naughty’, fun, original score. The spicy banter between Michael and Steven was nothing short of sensational, making them a formidable duo on stage.
Add a disco ball to the mix and you have a flawless match made in heaven!
