WHEN life throws you lemons, make a lemon tart.
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That's the philosophy driving a cabaret show based on one of television's most popular personalities.
Raelene Isbester will perform Nigella Love Bites this weekend at Racine, a show she first created in 2016 for the Melbourne Short and Sweet Festival as a homage to Nigella Lawson.
Unlike many cabarets, which use existing songs from musicals or popular culture to fit a particular story, Ms Isbester called on her composer friends.
"It's a 10-minute festival based in cabaret and I won the best performer prize," she said.
"I was looking for a creative something to do and I had been told I looked a little like her so I thought why not create a show?
"The whole piece is new work."
Men and women both love her - she's about indulging the things that give you pleasure and the idea of bringing that to an audience is wonderful.
- Raelene Isbester
The first challenge was creating a singing piece around a person who does not normally sing.
"Men and women both love her - she's about indulging the things that give you pleasure and the idea of bringing that to an audience is wonderful," Ms Isbester said.
She was conscious of including the light and shade of Lawson's life, including the domestic violence she endured from her second husband and her cocaine use.
"It's not all light and subtly we do touch on both sides," she said.
Having grown up at Huntley Berry Farm, she said she still had regular contact with her family, who still live in Orange.
But it will be the first time she has performed here in Orange since she left to attend university.
"I was involved in a lot of amateur theatre, which was great growing up," she said.
"It's the first time a lot of my family will have heard me sing since I was 18."
She said she chose Racine to stage the show because wanted to combine the performance with dinner.
"I was looking for a venue that had the space, that was tied to a restaurant and had good food as well," she said.
There will be a nibbles and show this Friday from 7pm for $70 a ticket.
Then on Saturday, there will be a full dinner and show from 6pm for $130 a ticket.
Ms Isbester has met Ms Lawson, but did not believe she was aware of the show.
"I'd like to think Nigella would like it," she said.
Tickets are available by clicking here or by calling 6365 3275.
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