Zoë Jensen's Zoe's Killer Instinct is an extended meditation on power dynamics, misogyny, and what it takes to have that 'killer instinct' — both on and off the stage. Co-created with husband Michael McStay, the darkly comedic cabaret has charming performances and striking costuming, but backs away from the dark themes it addresses and leaves something to be desired. Reviewed by Charlotte Smee.
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Zoë Jensen's Zoe's Killer Instinct is an extended meditation on power dynamics, misogyny, and what it takes to have that 'killer instinct' — both on and off the stage. Co-created with husband Michael McStay, the darkly comedic cabaret has charming performances and striking costuming, but backs away from the dark themes it addresses and leaves something to be desired.
They say inspiration can come from anywhere, and always when you least expect it. Zoë Jensen's inspiration for her cabaret Zoe's Killer Instinct came from the power she felt when discovering a bag of knives, in the middle of the night, in a park in Berlin.
It's no surprise then that Zoe's Killer Instinct is an extended meditation on power dynamics, misogyny, and what it takes to have that 'killer instinct', both on and off the stage — as actress and as woman in the world.
Husband and wife duo Zoë Jensen and Michael McStay are the co-creators behind the darkly comedic cabaret. Jensen performs and narrates her fictionalised journey through the park; McStay provides harmonies, asides and electronic keyboard accompaniment. Zoe tells us about her 'dark secret' through various songs filled with large words, wide-eyed facial expressions, and the disembodied voice of — you guessed it — a bag of knives.
Jensen is a charming performer, and McStay and Travis Hennessy are accomplished composers. While sometimes repetitive, the songs that feature in Zoe's Killer Instinct have a clear structure and some melodic delights.
Overall, they can be clumsy in their approach to the complex subject of violence against women, and to Zoe's character development in general. Once we reach the high point of Zoe's decision to become a literal killer — in response to a director finding it hard to believe she could be one — there isn't much movement narrative-wise. Zoe's increasingly gruesome killings, while enjoyable to hear described, don't eventuate into a satisfying resolution for this critic.
The lack of a satisfying resolution could be explained by a somewhat hesitant approach from the co-creators, who don't quite commit to either the 'dark comedy' or the 'important message' angles in the piece. Zoe, in one number, starts to talk about statistics and violence towards women in an attempt to excuse her behaviour, but this rings hollow when juxtaposed with her descriptions of violent murders.
Similarly, the bag of knives begins as an interesting plot device that drives Zoe towards her killings. Later in the piece, it becomes an excuse more than the surreal device it could have been.
There was one moment when McStay, as maestro, attempted to have his own moment in the sun, and Zoe quickly cut him off. This moment wasn't referred to later, but hinted at an idea that could have been an interesting exploration of what 'flipping the script' might mean, meta-theatrically, for Zoe and her maestro.
The costuming in Zoe's Killer Instinct has a very clear idea of its purpose. The dark red velvet gown Jensen wears in the first half is striking and evocative of a 1950s femme fatale. Her bloodied white Marilyn Monroe-esque dress in the second part is a brilliant piece that evokes old Hollywood gone wrong. The simple lighting choices are effective too, washing the stage in red at key violent moments and spotlighting Zoe in sparkling warm yellows.
Because Zoe's Killer Instinct doesn't clearly sit in one genre, it backs away from the dark themes it addresses and leaves something to be desired. It doesn't quite get to the twisted darkness of other musical theatre that treats violence and murder (see Chicago or Sweeney Todd), nor does it provide the sharp, informative perspective on topical issues that a cabaret can offer when completely committed to that purpose.
It has some enjoyable moments, and Jensen and McStay are clearly talented at what they do. There's certainly something worth investigating further in this dark cabaret.
Performer & Co-creator: Zoë Jensen
Co-creator, Maestro & Keyboard: Michael McStay
Composers: Michael McStay & Travis Hennessy
Producer: Primitive Streak Productions
Reviewed by Charlotte Smee.
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