ABOUT
QTheatre Loft
March 29th 7pm.
March 30th 6pm
Homegrown chanteuse Jackie Clarke turns her powerhouse vocals, wicked humour and maverick entertainment style to the songs of the 20th and 21st Centuries most legendary divas.
Ms Clarke pays homage to Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee, Streisand and more! From Alison Durbin to Dolly Parton, from Kate Bush to Gaga, Jackie lets her diva flag fly, while playfully engaging the audience with her trademark witty panache.
Accompanied by the splendid Karl Benton on piano (Ardijah, Che Fu, Annie Crummer), expect iconic songs performed with tender soul and gleeful virtuosity in an intimate cabaret setting.
Jackie was awarded an MNZM for services to entertainment (2018) and the Variety Artists life time achievement award The Benny (2024). She has lived 40 years in theatre, (Mamma Mia, Shirley Valentine) music (When The Cat’s Been Spayed, The Lady Killers) and TV (NZ Idol, The Semisis).
Don’t miss this rollicking show of bravura song styling, dazzling frockage, pin-drop moments and plenty of laughs.
“Jackie was sublime- I laughed, I grinned, I wept a bit…she is as much a master of her craft as the women she honours” Michele A’Court, Jackie Goes Prima Diva 2022
“Jackie has a natural flair for comedy and showmanship – in one case turning a slight wardrobe malfunction into a hilarious moment. But of course, it’s her beautiful voice that comes through in a sublime delivery of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good and a mind-blowing incarnation of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights” DIVAS! review Andrew Whiteside 2024
“This self-styled “Pacifica Rita Hayworth, with a touch of Spotlight” really knows how to entertain….the hall could have been Carnegie or Royal Albert, but was in fact the Twyford Community (Hall)! She would do either of those stages proud also” – Rob Harbers Ambient Light Blog review, Hawkes Bay Festival 2022
Jackie Clarke is renowned for her maverick entertainment style, whether it’s treading the boards in musicals, sitting in judgement on NZ Idol, making music with her friends or MCing glittering events. She’s been captivating audiences for over 35 years and was recognised with an MNZM for services to the industry on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2018.
Back in the mid-80s Jackie co-founded kiwiana trio When The Cat’s Been Spayed, going on to release two albums (Down at the Hall, Glamour Puss) and touring the country for ten years. Since 2005 she’s lent her powerhouse vocals to The Lady Killers with Tina Cross and Suzanne Lynch (Black is Black). She was part of the alt-country trio The Darlings (The Cicada Sessions) and has been a soprano with the Jubilation gospel choir for 20 years (Shout and Never Get Tired).
Individually she has toured with artists such as Dave Dobbyn, Annie Crummer and The Netherworld Dancing Toys, and performed/recorded with artists such as Greg Johnson, Mika, Don McGlashan, Midge Marsden and Jan Hellriegel. Her stage career includes starring in large-scale productions of Joseph, Mamma Mia, Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Mum’s the Word and Once as well as premieres of New Zealand works such as The Underwatermelon Man, C the Musical, Dominion Road and Hairy Maclary.
Jackie has performed with all of New Zealand’s major orchestras and was a regular fixture at the Coca Cola Christmas in the Park concerts since Santa was a brunette.
Her television work includes acting in the comedy series ‘Skitz’ and its spinoff ‘The Semisis’, presenting documentaries such as “Wise Women and Song”, ‘War Songs’ and ‘Twins’, hosting ‘Saturday Live’ and judging ‘Showcase’ and ‘New Zealand Idol’. She’s done everything from guest present late-night news (Nightline) to guesting on The Project and hosting live Lotto draws but is especially fond of getting to spear Jacquie Brown with a cocktail fork in an episode of the Jacquie Brown Diaries.
Ms Clarke is a long time New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation Ambassador, supporter of Duffy Books and a co-host of Kids for Kids which tours annually providing a positive first performing arts/musical experience for primary school age kids.
She finds performing in front of crowds of 100,000 an absolute doddle but can’t parallel park to save herself.
Awards:
Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, Pacific Entertainment Award for Top Female Vocalist 2016
Variety Artists Club of New Zealand, Top Group Award 2017 (The Lady Killers)
