Originally from Ireland, Carol started singing in 2006 as part of ‘Maxwell’s Fullmooners’, performing alongside the likes of Stewart Lee, John Bishop, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, at sold out Edinburgh Fringe runs and at its cult hit London residency at The Comedy Store.
From there, Carol went on to become a regular on the UK cabaret circuit, performing at Madame JoJo’s, The Hippodrome, The Boom Boom Club, Crazy Coqs, The Double R Club, Duckie, Black Cat Cabaret,and Robin Ince’s Book Club, as well as Miss Behave’s Variety Nighty at the Camden Roundhouse and The Royal Albert Hall.
In 2009, Carol premiered her debut solo show at The Brighton Fringe, where her mixture of cover versions and self-penned compositions won her the Best Music Act award before taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe with a sold-out run and glowing reviews.
Lady Carol, occupying the chair uneasily, wielding her ukulele like a protective shield. Then, seemingly effortlessly, she bellowed out a dark, sexy, yodeller’s warble that blew us through the back wall. I long for a CD.
★★★★★The Scotsman
It’s a fascinating recipe: take one delicate, tortured soul, add achingly beautiful vocal cords, sprinkle some self-deprecating anecdotes and finally toss in a ukulele. The result is a unique, funny and intimate portrait through story and song. This will grip you for an hour but won’t leave you for quite some time.
★★★★★3 Weeks Edinburgh
A blonde siren – Lady Carol is delightfully unassuming and addresses the audience like a long-lost confidante. But like a siren, her call has dark undertones… She creates an atmosphere of exposed intimacy; delicate, understated and bewitching. And then she sings. It’s like having your hot milk laced with a shot of brandy. Utterly intoxicating.
★★★★Time Out Edinburgh
The same year, Carol traveled to Australia for the first time, where she performed at both Adelaide and Brisbane Fringe Festivals as a cast member of ‘A Company Of Strangers’ in the world-famous SpiegelTent. The show enjoyed sell-out runs and won The Advertiser Award at Adelaide Fringe, as well as being nominated for the Helpmann Awards Best Cabaret. She also featured in all six episodes of RTE’s television adaptation of Fullmooners in Ireland.
Her take on Queen’s The Show Must Go On reveals such new beauty in the lyrics that you can almost see the spirit of Freddie Mercury soar in delight. Likewise, the stories in Radiohead’s Creep and Cab Calloway’s Minnie The Moocher have never been so powerfully and emotively told.
★★★★★Review of A Company Of Strangers – The Adelaide Advertiser 2010
2010 saw Carol returning to Australia to perform a two-week run of her debut solo show at The Sydney Opera House followed by a sold out run at The Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Lady Carol, quite simply, is a gorgeous blonde Irish lass who has an incredible singing voice and plays the ukulele. When not stunning the audience with her vocals, she is the humblest and nicest of chanteuses… this Carol is every bit a Lady (and then some).
★★★★★Adelaide Theatre Guide
A powerhouse performance – Lady Carol reigns supreme.
★★★★★Cabaret Confessional, Adelaide
She could be from a fairytale; a blonde red riding hood or a witch who might put a spell on you. A unique, original voice; sardonic, harsh – in a beautiful way – and mightily strong.
★★★★★The Adelaide Fix
From 2011 to 2013, Carol performed all over the world, including Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, France, Australia, New Zealand, The United States and Ireland. Performing sets in shows including Sleep No More and Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen. She also returned to the Edinburgh Fringe with two more solo shows, both of which garnered excellent reviews and sold-out performances.
It’s a brave and moving approach: along with her dry wit and potent voice, which soars from a croak to a yodel with eerie and tremulous beauty. Vulnerability has always been part of Lady Carol’s persona. Here she proves remarkably open.
★★★★TimeOut
With a powerfully rich and surprisingly low voice which leaps over octaves like they’re little more than fairytale toadstools, Lady Carol’s singing style is immediately arresting – and utterly captivating.
★★★★★Edinburgh Spotlight
In 2014, Carol recorded her first album ‘Herself’ before returning once more to the Edinburgh Fringe as part of the line up in the award-winning ‘Bob’s Bookshop’. She went on to win Best Cabaret Production for a two-show run at the Mimetic Fringe in The Vaults, Waterloo, that same year.
With pitch-perfect singing and hilarious interludes, Lady Carol once again proves to be one of the more intriguing cabaret comedy acts of the Fringe to date.
★★★★EdFestMag
Her singing voice is sublime, and her delightfully eclectic set list makes it all the more exciting. Something about her is wildly original and honest – the lovely, mad disarray of her existence; a delight.
★★★★ThreeWeeks
She makes every one of the songs something of her own. The more somber, reflective songs show her voice percolating, becoming richer in the air as it seeps into you. The more soaring tunes surge like a lush carpet rolling outward.
★★★★★Broadway Baby
In 2016, Carol returned to Australia, where she performed as part of Moira Finucane’s Salons at the Hares & Hyenas bookshop in Melbourne. In 2017, she worked with Australian circus company CircusTrickTease in creating the show ‘Can’t Face’, writing original music and producing backing tracks, in addition to performing as part of the show. ‘Can’t Face’ won Best Circus Show at the Melbourne Fringe and Best Circus Weekly at The Adelaide Fringe.
Impressively talented vocalist, Carol Cates, proves exactly why she is such a well-known face in the UK cabaret scene with her soulful voice contrasting with the rather unexpectedly naughty lyrics.
★★★★★Review of ‘Can’t Face’ – Glamadelaide 2018
Perfectly complementing the acrobatics are the side-splitting musical interludes by the insanely talented Carol Cates. Her stage presence is captivating as she belts out saucy cabaret tunes with lyrics that are all sorts of naughty.
★★★★★Review of ‘Can’t Face’ – Weekend Notes Adelaide 2018
2018 saw Carol working behind the scenes, writing original music and sound design for Lucy Frost’s solo circus show ‘Prison, Factory, Cult, Circus’. The show successfully toured the UK and received a nomination for Best Circus at Melbourne Fringe.
In 2019, Carol returned to the Edinburgh Fringe with a new show which consisted almost entirely of original compositions. The show was nominated for Broadway World’s Best Cabaret.
A magnetic aura stays with Cates for the whole show. A mixture of striking voice work and good humour ensure that you become ever more entranced by this experienced performer as the hour progresses. A performance that is unique, charming and a deeply pleasant experience.
★★★★The Wee Review
Carol Cates has always been a hidden gem. Her voice is unique and for me amazing. I was not alone in thinking this one member was moved to tears even after just the opening number.
★★★★One4Review
Draped in a black hood and flowing dark fabric so that, framed by the arch of the performing space, she appears like a siren or a guardian of the netherworld but with witty banter and an indifferent charm. Cates continues to solidify her reputation as one of the best musical comedy solo acts in the business. Her songs are well-written, witty, and often poignant.
★★★★Broadway Baby
carolcates.com 