During the 20 years I’ve been reviewing the Cabaret Festival, Bernadette Robinson has been a semi-regular attendee, presenting new and improved versions of Divas, her impersonations of legendary female singers.

However, what started as a novelty act – and, to some extent, a comedy act – has evolved over time into a highly sophisticated, analytical, one-woman marathon tour de force.

In this latest iteration, Robinson gives us ten vocal legends: Barbra Streisand, Kate Bush, Dolly Parton, Amy Winehouse, Edith Piaf, Karen Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, Maria Callas, Shirley Bassey, and Judy Garland, in ten vignettes spanning over 100 minutes with no interval. It’s an Everest test of vocal technique, concentration, and endurance.

Bernadette Robinson. Photo supplied

That said, how does one distil a legend into a 10-minute vignette that conveys that artist’s essence? Robinson leans towards a theme or core narrative and picks songs and designs monologues to fit. Often, the monologues are based on quoted text from the subject’s mouth or pen. It’s noteworthy that five of the divas are no longer with us and the remaining five are still performing.

One noticeable...