Best of Both Worlds
Michelle Pearson, an accomplished singer-songwriter and self taught cooking guru has managed to concoct a unique Fringe experience through her live performance, Comfort Food Cabaret. It is an admirable quality to boldly pursue the crossover of two conflicting passions. Admittedly I have belted out the odd Beyonce song, whilst cooking a toasted cheese sandwich but this performance definitely raised the bar.
“The ninety minute performance is like coming to a dinner party. I want the audience to think the meal tastes good and that the experience has a warmth so it doesn’t come off as pretentious,” says Michelle.
“I've been singing since I was nine years old and that passion has always been alongside me. I do remember trying to bake as a kid and my mom getting annoyed at how I’d trash the kitchen.”
I was able to experience Comfort Food Cabaret, during a private performance at The Joinery. The community centre’s public space has been transformed into a open kitchen, with Fringe punters enjoying an ambience best described as a classy version of Ready Steady Cook with a mezzo soprano twist.
Michelle definitely projected a warm presence on stage. At large the audience enjoyed listening to Pearson’s anecdotal recollections of teenage love and Nutella indulgence. There are also heartfelt snippets of Michelle's more vulnerable life chapters.
“I've always been taught since I was a kid that I needed to have a backup. Even my singing teacher told me to have a career lined up just in case, which is why I got a degree in Public Relations.”
Michelle Pearson, was once entrapped within the corporate headlock of Public Relations. The monotonous scourge of the nine to five was impacting on Michelle's mental health and her childhood passion for music was beginning to fade. In 2014 she was confronted by the terrible news that her father was terminally ill. The realization of life’s fragility was cataclysmic, inspiring Michelle to to quit her job and reignite not just one life passion, but two.
Michelle’s hardships have encouraged her to take life more head on.
“Life is incredibly short. A lot of people don’t get a choice. So I think if you got something you want to do don't wait around. If you love someone tell them. If you want to take a risk do it now because you never know how long you’ve got.”
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