Tom Waits depicted the poor, the punks, the hobos and the lost. He could also write a love song to shatter Cupid’s bow. D’Arrietta and his band cover this terrain of tenderness to terror, and all the pathos in between. He has a long relationship with the music, and an affinity deeper than most having developed the hit show over two decades. One of the 10 best shows at 2018 Edinburgh Fringe according to the UK’s The Sunday Times, his characteristic gravel-voiced sensitivity brings out the shapes and shades of legendary songs such as Invitation to the Blues, Martha, and the wrenching Tom Traubert’s Blues.
‘The king of whiskey, smoke & late nights… exceptional’ – Broadway World ★★★★★
‘Worth stealing a dollar from your mama’s purse’ – The Adelaide Show ★★★★★
‘A masterful evening of drama, riveting, beautiful storytelling, outstanding… brilliant’ – Fringe Review
‘Gut wrenching passion… an absolute knock out’ – The Australian
Beneath the roaring bluster and cyclonic musicality, the sinewy strands of romance weave poignant and compelling stories of life, love, lust and loss – this performer’s favourite themes.
What they say about Stewart D’Arrietta
Electrifying – Variety
Rollicking – The New Yorker
Rock solid emotion – The New York Times
One of the ten best shows of the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe – The Sunday Times
Astonishing… an expert pianist with a fine voice ★★★★★ – The Adelaide Advertiser
Gut wrenching passion… an absolute knock out – The Australian
D’Arrietta is the king of whiskey, smoke and late nights… not to be missed. ★★★★★ – Broadway World
A national treasure, an integral part of our cultural fabric. There is nothing he can’t do at his keyboard – Glenn A Baker
Strong, slick and sartorial… Stewart D’Arrietta has a phenomenal presence, no doubt about it. – Deadline News
‘Worth stealing a dollar from your mama’s purse. ★★★★★ – The Adelaide Show
BIO:Stewart D’Arrietta is the piano guy in ‘Lennon Through A Glass Onion’, one of Australia’s best loved and longest running musical theatre shows, which Stewart co-created with actor John Waters 29 years ago. Another of D’Arrietta’s notable successes is ‘My Leonard Cohen’ which has sold out shows at the Adelaide and Edinburgh Fringes, as well as at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Arts Centre.
Award winning composer and musical director D’Arrietta has performed all over Australia as well as overseas, at The Montreal Jazz Festival, EX Theatre Tokyo, Soho Playhouse New York, Union Square Theatre New York and The Riverside Theatre London.