SUMMER 1992: Sandra Bernhard's one-woman show. As the hall lights dimmed, flashbulbs in the wings signalled the imminent stage presence of Sandra Bernhard and, as if to release the tangible tension in the audience, a woman ran on stage and screamed. This was our introduction to Bernhard's mesmerising 2 hour non-stop cabaret which invited us to witness moments from her life. She sang, narrated and, parked on bar stool created a variety of voices and personas that intrigued. Yet it was her absolute professional control mixed with her personal lack of control that provided the audience with a unique performance. We warmed to her energy and physical abandonment, whilst celebrating her personal surrealist humour. I left not knowing who or what Sandra Bernhard was, but felt the mystery of her performance was her unique ability to confuse, abuse and perplex the standard approach to cabaret. This sense of mystery, mixed with memories of flashbulbs imprinted on my mind, reminiscent of Hollywood legends, evoked a sense of rareness. This had been an opportunity to celebrate the arrival of a woman with infinite personal creativity, who offered to an RFH audience willing to celebrate this pastiche cabaret style an abundance and over-the-topness rarely seen. << less