Gary Starlight bares his soul in Gary Starlight Sings the Blues.
Join everyone's favourite singer/songwriter/entertainer/massage therapist ("Best of Fringe", Nelson Fringe 2016) in an improvised musical comedy where not even the star knows what he’ll be singing next.
Gary Starlight’s career has had it’s highs and lows. But there’s one time where everything that could go wrong, did. Following his mildly successful comeback performance Gary Starlight is back, and he’s feeling blue. Romantic disasters, musical misadventures and questionable lifestyle choices are all laid bare as Gary recounts the Worst Year of his Life and sings blues songs written about each catastrophic event - all of which are inspired by the audience’s suggestions.
Gary Starlight is the alter ego of veteran improviser Jeff Clark, a member of The Court Jesters and performer in Scared Scriptless since 1996. Clark describes Gary Starlight as “a cross between John Rowles, Elvis, Michael Buble and Pepe Le Pew”.
In Gary Starlight Sings The Blues, Gary (accompanied by pianist Kris Finnerty and guitarist/bass player Brad Kang) recounts “the worst year of his life” and sings the songs that he wrote following each disastrous event. As Starlight, Clark creates a one-hour show filled with original songs out of thin air; inspired only by Gary’s interactions with the audience.
Starlight first appeared in 2012 as a wedding singer in The Court Jesters’ ensemble improvisation show The Early Early Late Show: the Reception. Falling in love with Gary’s “Enormous ego, complete lack of self-awareness and overwhelming love for his audience,” Clark knew Starlight was destined for great things. Since then, Gary’s solo career has gone from strength to strength: performing The Gary Starlight Christmas Special at The Court in 2013; and taking An Evening With Gary Starlight to the 2016 Nelson Fringe (where he won “Best of Fringe”) and the 2017 World Buskers Festival, as well as performing at the 2017 Cavell Leitch NZ International Jazz and Blues Festival. Now it's NZ's sunniest city's turn to get the blues.
“delightful, smart, laugh-out-loud… For there to be any empty seats at all, would be a crime.” - What’s Up NZ
“If you ever see the name Gary Starlight anywhere, you’ve got to go” - The Breeze
“a masterclass of musical comedy” - Nelson Mail
"Impressive angsty improv" - Theatreview