Reuben Kaye returned to Brisbane for one night only last night for the Queensland premiere of his acclaimed show, enGORGEd, at the Concert Hall, QPAC, co-presented with Melt Festival.
I haven’t known – or known of – Reuben Kaye for long. I first met him at the Media Call for Jesus Christ Superstar, where I had my pick of the cast for an on-camera interview. Almost by accident, I chose Reuben. Before I knew it, I was whisked from the auditorium into his dressing room for the interview, as, quote: ‘drag makeup in down lighting is just ghastly.’
Accompanied by his five-piece band, three-piece vocal ensemble and a ten-piece orchestra courtesy of Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Reuben describes enGORGEd as his most ambitious show to date.
What you see on the stage is what you get. Reuben is charming, quick-witted and a little risqué. His energy and joy are infectious. He leaves you feeling energised.
Looking gorgeous and very old Hollywood with a platinum, soft wave bob and red lipstick, Reuben shared stories of his backstage (and onstage) shenanigans while performing in ‘JCS,’ his first foray into musical theatre.
While enGORGEd is billed as a cabaret show, Reuben could have stood up there ad-libbing for two hours, and I’m sure the crowd would have been equally as mesmerised. One could even have argued that Reuben was enjoying the banter more than the musical numbers. It’s possible the sound might have been a bit touchy; there appeared to have been some foldback issues.
There were plenty of cheeky, dirty and plain old inappropriate jokes. Lots of c-words. (Both of them!) But there were vulnerable moments too. They included Reuben’s recount of being beaten up by a schoolmate after the mate’s Dad caught the pair dressing up at Reuben’s house.
The story was the inspiration behind the original ballad, And I’m Sorry, the most moving moment in the show. The postscript got the crowd laughing again, however, almost instantly.
There were four original songs in enGORGEd, including the fabulously fun Act One closer I’m Rich. Reuben’s performance was made all the more entertaining when he stopped the song partway through because he ‘f*%ked up the lyrics,’ taking it again from the top. Such is Reuben’s charm; he’s so comfortable in the spotlight. The other two originals included The Real Shit and I Want Ya.
There were some iconic covers too, reworked with a cabaret flavour. They included the Act Two opener, Queen of the Night, and the show’s closing number, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, made famous to this reviewer via the film, Dirty Dancing. Yes, Reuben, it’s safe to say, we will.
On the same day of the concert, it was announced that enGORGEd, originally commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival, will be performed as part of the 2026 Sydney Festival. He’s also taking the show to Melbourne at the end of the month; see dates below.
Reuben also shared the exciting news of his appointment as the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, which made a fabulous segue into his performance of If I Ruled The World. Side note: Next year’s Class of Cabaret students are very lucky; watching Reuben perform is the ultimate cabaret masterclass.
If you missed enGORGEd last night, you missed out. But there are still tickets left to The Kaye Hole on Saturday night, if you’re quick.
Reuben Kaye performed enGORGEd on 6 November 2025 at the Concert Hall, QPAC as part of 2025 Melt Festival.
Website: https://www.reubenkaye.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/reubenkayeofficial/
Photo credits: Peter Wallis
enGORGEd Tour Dates:
Melbourne 28 – 29 November 2025, Melbourne Recital Hall
Sydney 16 January, Sydney Opera House
