Opera Up Late (Opera Australia), at Regent Theatre - 75 minutes

What a great talent this man is. Reuben Kaye headlines a bawdy show to remember, introducing three Australian Opera headliners in the camped-up Opera Up Late.

Making its first appearance in Melbourne, it has been a staple in Sydney since it was conceived by Kaye and award-winning director Shaun Rennie for WorldPride in 2023.

It is a fusion of the operatic with musical theatre, seen through a queer lens, liberally lashed with risqué humour.

Shocks and surprises are plentiful, ensuring a glorious time is had by all.

While speaking glowingly of Opera Australia, Kaye – noted for his stiletto sharp barbs – doesn’t hold back in his free-flowing remarks that punctuate the work.

Piercing and saucy, skewering is a highly accomplished art form in Kaye’s repertoire.

His most pointed salvo sailed mighty close to the wind, with a shot across the bows relating to recently assassinated American right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.

Musically, Kaye – an accomplished baritone in his own right – calls upon the virtuosity of Australia’s most highly awarded soprano, Emma Matthews.

With high notes that could shatter glass, she is magnificent, getting into the spirit of the evening with some decidedly colourful surtitles at the ready.

So, too, lauded mezzo-soprano Angela Hogan, who sings up a storm and even finds time for some proctology.

Another to make his mark with his vocal timbre and tone is the commanding Tomas Dalton.

Forever lurking in the background, never afraid to inject himself into the action, which happens frequently, is the lively mischief-maker Kaye.

Also en pointe are agile and skilled dancers Clayton Church and Nicholas Jachno, who shine in their performances, at one juncture resplendent in poetic embrace.

Making a grand entrance in barely there, kinky leather with full face covering (more at home in BDSM play) is musical director and pianist Simon Bruckard.

He continues to hit the right notes, as does host pianist Shanon D. Whitelock.

Seventy-five minutes of grand debauchery and inuendo on an opulent Opera Australia set left me wanting another dose.

Twelve months is too long to wait for the next instalment.

I loved Opera Up Late.