C’est formidable! Catherine Summer’s A Parisian Affair recreates the intimate salon of a rich cabaret lounge. It delivers a powerful and sophisticated celebration of French Jazz. It is both chic and cheeky.

Summers is a seasoned Fringe entertainer, warm, spirited, and compelling in her delivery, really comfortable in her own skin. She is a bastion of the Perth Jazz scene who continues to grow in her power each year.

Her charismatic personality immediately connects with the audience as they arrive, and she’s totally present throughout the two-and-a-half-hour show. Her energy and rapport with the audience and camaraderie with her band is joyful and totally engaging.

The show delivers a sumptuous showcase of songs from Europe of the late 1800s through to the 1960s including performances by the delightful showgirls, Ashleigh and Carli, and some titillating performances by burlesque entertainer Autumn Daze, all accompanied by a very classy five-piece jazz band.

Of particular note is the sax, clarinet player who exudes the effortless stylishness of an era gone by and is a perfect foil for Summer’s elegance. Summer’s voice is captivating. Her French is exquisite, and she carries a range of powerful songs with ease, including songs from Joséphine Baker, Édith Piaf, Cole Porter, and Shirley Bassey.

The highlight for me is her delivery of Cabaret, evoking the decadence and final days of the Weimer Republic, she belted it out and it was the best rendition I have heard.

Between songs, Summers shares interesting stories of the era, however, perhaps they could be tighter in the telling. The audience devoured her invitation to join in, singing the catchy French songs Les Champs-Elysées, and Padam, Padam.

One lucky fella got to have Eartha Kitt’s Champagne Taste personally delivered to him on stage by a very sassy sexy Summers. The show exuded inclusivity, warmth, and humour.

The atmosphere created in the venue with the vintage props and elegantly dressed wait staff was like being enveloped in a special, secret and slightly naughty club. See it if you like glamorous soirées with gypsy jazz and cabaret lounge with a contemporary twist.