Cabaret reviewL Virginia Gay - Dirty Pretty Songs, The Famous Spiegeltent (Venue 87), Edinburgh

By FIONA SHEPHERD
Published on 11/08/2012 18:00

NEWSFLASH: seemingly sweet and innocent pop songs can often have naughty double meanings. Australian TV actress Virginia Gay has just clocked on to this time-honoured dichotomy and is pretty pleased with her discovery.

Virginia Gay – Dirty Pretty Songs

The Famous Spiegeltent (Venue 87)

Star rating: * *

But even applying all her skills to this practised performance, and backed by a spry jazz quartet, she is nowhere near edgy enough to inhabit the darkness she so desperately wants to represent. Still, she is a belter at conveying flirtatiousness and sensuality than suffering; her stunt covers of Nirvana and Radiohead songs are dispatched in strictly hotel singer style.

• Until 26 August. Today 8pm.