Joseph Keckler is a challenging artist to categorise. He’s a professionally trained opera singer with a unique and memorable voice and he deploys a genre-busting style that defies the typical gig expectations. He’s presently touring a show that is experimental, varied and always entertaining.
Keckler begins by telling the audience a scary story. This builds into his opening number ‘Ghost Song’ about a sexual encounter with a ghost, which is sung in an operatic style in a foreign language – with English surtitles. There is a startling contrast between the beautiful, haunting vocals and the absurdist story being told in the English translation.
It combines Keckler’s natural storytelling, his powerful voice and bizarre imagination into one piece of art. There were some minor volume issues at the start of the show, but this was quickly fixed.
Keckler performs several numbers in this style, with the juxtaposition between the vocals and the lyrics becoming more nonsensical and comic.
In the hands of a lesser artist this could easily be farcical, but Keckler manages to make it into high art. While not all of it lands perfectly, when it does, it is a wonderful mix of styles interacting together.
A couple of the songs performed on the night are sung along to music videos, which highlights Keckler’s mischievous creativity. ‘Goth Song’ is a reflection upon his Goth experience as a youth and is full of sentimental nostalgia for a former life.
Switching modes entirely, ‘Strangers on the Internet’, sung in English, combines another fever dream story with a musical number reminiscent of Gilbert and Sullivan.
As the evening moves on, Keckler performs on the piano, showcasing another talent. The balance of the music shifts gradually to more contemporary-style English songs that are stylistically different and imbued with more serious content, but there are reminders of Keckler’s humour scattered through.
A couple of these later numbers focus on relationships, one with a partner that refers to Keckler as ‘baby potato’ and the other about a boss who becomes Keckler’s stalker. It is never clear where the line between reality and imagination is drawn.
Most gigs follow a standard structure, with opening numbers, curtain call numbers and a set list. For Keckler, the shifts in style, language and content are vital to his success. At times it feels as if the balance could be a little more structured. Keckler’s storytelling talents could be further utilised to link and bring the whole show together into a coherent whole.
Read: Theatre review: Picnic at Hanging Rock, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
In the one show, Keckler still manages to utilise his range of musical skills, storytelling and comedic talents to produce an evening of entertainment that moves from the sublime to the absurd.
An Evening with Joseph Keckler
Brunswick Ballroom
An Evening with Joseph Keckler was performed at the Brunswick Ballroom in Melbourne on 20 February. Keckler is touring Australia until 1 March 2025 including 27 February at Adelaide Fringe and 28 February and 1 March at Perth Festival.
