It was an "eerie" feeling when Wayne Scott Kermond had to close his vaudevillian, all-singing, all-dancing spectacular back in June.
The Sans Souci resident was just one of thousands of members of the entertainment industry who were once again plunged into temporary joblessness as the Delta variant rampaged through NSW.
His show, Spiegelesque, had just begun its season when lockdown restrictions forced its closure.
"It's not something we had experienced before," Kermond told the Leader.
"Normally you finish out the season and if you've heard the show is going to close early, you get a notification.
"So to go home one night and get the call that you're not doing the show the next day, was eerie and strange and not something we've ever experienced before. It was trying, there's no denying.
"We've all been in a holding pattern, not knowing when and how we're going to move forward, and the great thing now is that we are - we're finishing the season and coming back even bigger and better than before."
Spiegelesque returns to Parramatta's Riverside Theatre this November 25 to December 5.
Kermond, the star and creator of the show, said it was everything you wanted from a fun mix of vaudeville, variety, burlesque and cabaret.
"It's visual, a lot of comedy, a lot of song and dance," he said.
"There's unexpected moments that happen throughout the show - overall it's kind of the contemporary feel of old-world cabaret.
"It's just pure entertainment - there's something in there for all ages and audiences come out with a grin from ear to ear.
"Spiegelesque is complete escapism. We want people to come in and leave the troubles of their world behind them."
Kermond said the show featured a heap of audience interaction, meaning it was a new experience from night to night.
A fourth generation performer with vaudeville and slapstick in his blood, Kermond said he took "a bit of that old and served it on a new plate".
"Grandad used to say 'everyone loves corn, you've got to learn how to serve it'," he said.
"We keep it fresh and exciting."
Kermond said shows like Spiegelesque kept hordes of creatives in jobs, not just on stage, but behind the scenes doing lighting, sound, costume and more.
"Our show has an on-running effect, there are a lot of people involved to get it going," he said.
"We may not be as big as the biggest show in town, but we have an influence on creating work in our industry. We're all just excited to get back on stage for that reason - not just the performers, but also our musicians and technicians."
Tickets are on sale now from riversideparramatta.com.au and start at $41.
GIVEAWAY
Australian Community Media has 21 double passes to give away to Spiegelesque on Thursday, November 25 from 7.30pm at Riverside Theatre, Parramatta.
For your chance to win, simply fill out the form below and tell us in 25 words or fewer what your special talent in a vaudeville or cabaret show would be (or what you wish it could be).
Entries close midnight Thursday, November 18 and winners will be informed on Friday, November 19.
Please read the terms and conditions.
