In These Shoes, at Chapel Off Chapel and touring - 60 minutes

What do Crocs have in common with the most stylish silver stilettoes?

If you answered “absolutely nothing”, you just have to hear and see fashionista and inveterate warbler Glynis Traill-Nash’s take on it.

Does she have stories to tell from a stellar career that has taken in the world’s fashion capitals!

And I tell you, she could make a bar of soap sound interesting.

Put simply, she is a raconteur. She has the gift of the gab and plays dress up with words … and music. 

Photos by Lucas Dawson Photography

Glynis is an accomplished jazz singer, whose diatribe is only broken up by a series of delightful songs.

She is accompanied by the most expressive of pianists, her musical director, who – like the journalist turned performer – is prone to the flourish.

His name – one to remember – is Josh Haines and he gives the ivories a good tickle and then some. 

But back to Glynis, who takes to the stage with a shock of red hair, black framed glasses and a gown complete with lightweight cape that screams “oh my!”.

It has been designed by Oscar-winner Tim Chappel (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), no less.

She was a fish out of water as a teen, which is when she developed her love of vintage fashion. Later, the labels came to the fore.

Fashion editor of The Australian for almost a decade, her CV takes in the likes of In Style and Grazia.

She has also contributed to The Australian Women’s Weekly, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar and, even, Vogue China.

Rest assured, there are no sacred cows in this narrative concert cum cabaret.

Everything from the beige trenchcoat (how many colours within the beige spectrum are there?) to activewear gets a guernsey (if you pardon the pun). 

This is Glynis’ sixth season with a show she has taken from Perth to Adelaide and from Sydney to the Edinburgh Fringe, but this is her first foray into Melbourne.

Based on what I witnessed, her enthusiasm and passion for the bold and the beautiful haven’t waned.

She has an engaging, energetic persona, readily turning her hand to a set list of très chic chansons.

From the sublime to the all but ridiculous, she is even dextrous on the kazoo.

And she looks pretty in pink, as what would a show about fashion be without a series of costume changes. 

This is a lady who has been there and done that … and has lived to tell the tale(s), like her vitally important shopping lessons.

Never shop when hungry, drunk or heartbroken.

And, more to the point, the answer to almost everything is hot chips.

Put simply, Glynis Traill-Nash has a lot of love to share around In These Shoes.

To check out her next stops, go to https://www.instagram.com/glynistn/?hl=en

On March 25, 28 and 29, she will be performing at the Newcastle Fringe Festival.