When Natalie Abbott performs, she reveals such vulnerability and raw emotion that it feels disarmingly honest. On top of that, she has such an utterly gorgeous, richly toned singing voice that when she delivers a song – joyous or moving – it goes straight to the heart.

Natalie Abbott in Bad Hand. Photo © Jacquie Manning

Since making her professional debut in the title role in Muriel’s Wedding The Musical, she has made her mark on stage (The Lovers, Zombie! The Musical, As You Like It) and screen (Aftertaste, The Deb).

She now makes her cabaret debut in Bad Hand. Invited to create a cabaret show by Virginia Gay, Abbott initially demurred, not believing she had anything to say. But an unexpected, profound loss changed her mind. Bad Hand premiered at the 2025 Adelaide Cabaret Festival and now has two performances in the 2026 Sydney Festival.

A moving meditation on love and grief, Bad Hand explores the unpredictability of life where you have no control over the cards you are dealt. Drawing on a deeply personal experience, she looks at how trauma can arrive out of the blue...