Tell us a bit about Killing Time and why you enjoy performing cabaret.
Killing Time is a cabaret, jazz and blues extravangza with a smokin hot jazz trio and myself weaving through a host of fantastic, often hilarious, sometimes wrist-cuttingly sad songs about time and 24 hours in the life of someone (me. you, who knows) looking for love, finding it, losing it maybe finding it once more between one sunrise and the next!

I love performing cabaret – it’s the most intimate of performing styles, you can’t hide but also it’s not about perfection and slickness – it’s about making a connection with your audience and realising that every night and every show is a unique gem. Plus I get to put on a tie and that’s novel for me!

Where do you find inspiration?
In the work of other singers and artists and this show also has a lot of brilliant quotes and bits of verse from some great writers, poets and philosphers and that’s been pretty inspiring too!

You’ve performed at the Cremorne before. What makes this theatre a favourite amongst performers?
There’s a great relationship between the stage and the house, it’s a pretty live space acoustically and the dressing rooms have dimmers on their lights which is comforting the older I get!

What do you hope the audience will experience with Killing Time?
I hope they’ll laugh at me and themselves, tap their toes to some truly great music and maybe wipe a wistful tear from their eyes during the early-in-the-morning ballads.

:: What is your favourite play? ::
At the moment, Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage County”

:: What is your favourite musical? ::
Currently addicted to “The Book of Mormon” but “Sunday in the Park with George” is a long-term fave.

:: Name a character that you’d really love to play ::
Elder Price (see above musical), George Seraut (see above other musical), Shylock in The Merchant of Venice

:: What is the most memorable production or performance you have seen?
Something that really inspired you. ::
Good Lord – so many to choose from but of my recent mind-benders and heart-string tuggers, I’ll say the National Theatre’s “Warhorse” and Belvoir’s “The Book of Everything”.

:: Favourite recording artist? ::
Kurt Elling

:: Favourite album? ::
Kurt’s “Nightmoves” or the soundtrack to the film “Heat”

:: Favourite food? ::
Vegemite toast – sad but true.

:: Favourite drink? ::
Vodka martini, 3 olives

:: Favourite place? ::
A dinner table with people I love.

:: Favourite season? ::
Summer

:: Recommend a book ::
Tina Fey’s “Bossypants” – hilarious

:: Recommend a film ::
The Apartment

:: Recommend a website ::
Playbill.com

:: Words of wisdom ::
This from WC Fields: If at first you don’t succeed, try again. After that, quit. There’s no use being a moron about it!

What is next for Mitchell Butel?
Noosa Long Weekend Festival, a workshop of a live stage version of King Kong (I kid you not) for Global “Walking with Dinosaurs” Creatures, and a two-hander show with cabaret kamikaze Meow Meow