The Tiger Lillies

The London Wonderground South Bank SE1

5/5

IT’S hard not to fall in love with a band like macabre cabaret trio the Tiger Lillies. Although they’re not for the light-hearted — their topics rarely address anything other than death, drug addiction, prostitution and bestiality — they have a certain hypnotic charm that makes their shows so mesmerising.

And their latest performance at the Southbank’s Wonderland certainly reaffirms this.

The show opens with the upbeat Roll Up! But don’t be fooled by its jovial tune. As we are told: “Our life’s a sideshow attraction, we do our best to please/ Our life’s a sideshow attraction, death, decay and disease.” Which pretty much tells you a lot about the rest of their songs and perhaps goes some way to explain why several people have already moved for the doors.

Lead singer, pianist and accordion extraordinare Martyn Jaques is just as memorably menacing in his performance as his songs. 

His stunning falsetto voice shrieks and shrills through each song, making every single twisted word stand out — particularly the heart-wrenching Maria, an audience fave. While double bassist Adrian Stout and drummer Mike Pickering — replacing long-time member Adrian Huge (pictured, below right) — are just as mesmerising.

If you’ve been fortunate enough to have seen the Tiger Lillies perform before you’ll know exactly what to expect — 1920s Berlin cabaret meets a dark and twisted circus performance — and if you’ve never seen them be prepared to be shocked, disturbed but completely entertained. Either way, make sure you catch their next deliciously debauched and disturbing show.   

INDIANNA PURCELL