SHORTIS & SIMPSON'S AMERICAN PIE
PRESENTED by | Carrington Inn - Bungendore
PRICING ** | Earlybird (ends 28 February) $117. | Regular $130. | SeniorCard Concession $117.
INCLUSIONS | Performance, 3-Course Meal, Drink on Arrival, Parking, Photo Booth.
DESCRIPTION | A fun remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the song American Pie, interpreted in words and music with stories, insights, and song.
Can you believe it is 50 years since Don McLean’s landmark song, American Pie, was number 1 on the Australian charts?
Eight and a half minutes long, a worldwide hit that has stood the test of time, the song has become an anthem, a lament for the passing of an era, a song you love or hate. One review at the time said the song was ‘pretentious junk sung by a sanctimonious folkie’. Another said ‘if you believe in rock ‘n’ roll, go out and buy American Pie.’
Its cryptic lyrics have been the subject of numerous interpretations. When Don himself was asked what they mean. His answer was ‘they mean I don’t have to work any more’.
Shortis and Simpson, always happy to mark an anniversary, will present their take on American Pie at The Carrington Inn. They interpret in their unique style the song American Pie with stories, insights, and songs. Hear what avid music composer and researcher, John Shortis, has to say about the lyrics and the music, and enjoy the versatile Moya Simpson as she switches between the songs of Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, the Stones, Beatles, Dylan, the Byrds, Roberta Flack, and Don himself.
Look forward to the usual blend of surprising stories, strange facts, many laughs, the odd moving moment, and a whole hit parade full of songs you can sing along with.
Shortis and Simpson’s American Pie - It's going to be a Great Starry, Starry Night Out!
The Carrington Inn presents Shortis and Simpson in dinner show format with a great 3 Course Meal before the show and complimentary drink on arrival.
Not On TV! You’ve got to be there live to find out. Seating limited so book now for a great night!
Don’t miss SHORTIS & SIMPSON's musical production, American Pie!
Bookings Essential. Book early to avoid disappointment.
* Times indicate commencement of the dinner service. The performance commences 8:00pm.
** Booking price is fully refundable in the event the performance cannot proceed due to government covid restrictions effecting the venue, seating capacity, or public performances.
NB: Tables will be per booking or booking group. For example a booking of 6 will have a table for 6.
Single bookings will be seated at a table of 2 or 4 with other single bookings.
THE AMERICAN PIE DINNER SHOW MENU
Bread
Corn and Jalapeno Bread served with Charred Spring Onion Sour Cream
Alternative Serves
Entree
Sticky BBQ Buffalo Chicken Wings served with pickled cucumber and Blue Cheese dressing.
Crumbed Macaroni and Smoked Cheddar Balls served with house made tomato chutney.
Main
Braised BBQ Pork Ribs served with roast garlic potato chats, fresh slaw and charred corn.
Jerk Chicken served with Cajun style rice, sauteed greens and minted yoghurt.
Dessert
Lemon Curd Tart served with berry coulis and freshly toasted Meringue
Ginger and Spiced Rum Pumpkin Pie served with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Vegetarian meals available on request
Coffee, Tea, and Water
Drinks from the bar are à la carte
Complimentary Drink on Arrival
About Shortis and Simpson
John Shortis and Moya Simpson teamed up to create their comedy cabaret act in the early ’90s after performing together in ‘Bishop and the Actresses’ and at the School of Arts Café in Queanbeyan.
Their complimentary writing, performance, and theatrical talents make up the Shortis and Simpson productions that are always surprising, original, innovative. Projects that present a wide scope of styles and genres.
John Shortis writes songs and scripts, plays keyboard, and spends hours reading newspapers and delving into libraries and archives. Moya Simpson sings, mimics accents, plays characters, and has a passion for Eastern European music.
Based in Bungendore, they specialise in shows that reflect Australian history and politics in a way that is funny, satirical and informative, with the odd gut-wrenching moment. They perform regularly at Canberra’s national cultural institutions, and regularly do seasons of political satire.
About the Artists
Moya Simpson
Moya Simpson, singer, actor, and comedian has carved out a career built upon her extraordinary vocal versatility, comic timing and energetic delivery.
She’s sung songs of the Balkans in ‘Mesana Salata’ and ‘Martenitsa’, toured for Musica Viva in, acappella group, ‘Girls In Your Town’, and trained with British singer and voice specialist Frankie Armstrong to develop her own voice workshop skills.
Her comedy cabaret persona emerged when she was a member of ‘Bishop and the Actresses’ with Margret RoadKnight, Kerry-Ella MaCaullay and John Shortis in the early ’90s. This led to performances at the School of Arts Café in Queanbeyan, and eventually the emergence of Shortis and Simpson as a comedy cabaret act.
She has written and performed in her own one-woman show, ‘Close Your Eyes and Think of England’, and had lead roles in ‘Yodel Lady, the story of the yodel’, and ‘Stop Laughing, This Is Serious’, a political satirical musical play by Graham Pitts.
Excerpts from reviews:
Innately glamorous, blessed with superb diction and a wicked sense of humour…
Simpson is the mistress of innuendo…
She has the capacity to say as much with a raised eyebrow as a lyric…
Simpson is remarkable…
Thrilling the audience with the sheer octave-powered energy of the sliding sounds of the mesmerising yodel…
You’ve heard nothing till you’ve heard the phenomenal Simpson sing …
Moya Simpson’s stunning vocal versatility from the blues to the bossa nova or country and western to samba…
It is Simpson the actor who shines… bringing the house to the verge of tears…
John Shortis
John Shortis is an immensely creative and musical individual. As half of Shortis and Simpson, he writes and performs their shows that feature political satire and reflect his interest in Australian history.
He has composed music for countless theatre productions including for Nimrod Theatre, Tasmanian Puppet Theatre, Dance Company of NSW, Patch Theatre, written music for opera and an orchestral suite for the Adelaide symphony Orchestra, and hundreds of songs for children. John’s creative versatility has also shined in scriptwriting for television and directing several music-theatre projects.
His songs have been recorded by Margret RoadKnight, Jeannie Lewis, Franciscus Henri, the cast of Playschool, and Rolf Harris.
As a music historian, John received a Harold White Fellowship to research the sheet music collection at the National Library. This resulted in a series of Shortis and Simpson ‘Sheet Dip’ shows, performed in Canberra and regional Australia. In 2001 he curated, ‘Between the Sheets’, an exhibition at the National Library that is currently touring the country.
Excerpts from reviews:
Shortis has a seemingly bottomless well of ideas and a rare ability to range across styles…
A true rarity… Sophisticated… Whimsical and witty…
Accomplished and tasteful writing…
Brilliant Australian writer…
His funny lyrics brim with outrageously skewed rhymes…
Laser-honed approach balancing irony, sarcasm and the sardonic with an air of innocence...
The stinging wit of John Shortis’ dart-sharp lyrics, piercing the bulls-eye of political chicanery…
Shortis is a songwriter of consummate skill, as adept at a swift jibe at Little Johnny as he is at a moving tribute to the courage of the ordinary Aussie battler…
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