Prepare to be amazed
FOOD, fun and flesh (mostly covered in paint or tattoos) give this cirque-style entertainment a distinctive character, allowing the audience to nibble and quaff while eyeing some remarkable acrobatic feats.
The tent housing this extravaganza is elegant and well-designed, but tables could be better placed to allow everyone a satisfactory view of the show. Although there is a stage, most of the action (except for that which is airborne) takes place along a central aisle.
The fare on offer, included in the ticket price, is imaginative and conducive to conviviality. The platters – two per table of six – are meant to be shared, and there is sufficient diversity to accommodate a broad spectrum of taste. Service is brisk and efficient. The percussive assault of music intended to provide ambience is too loud for comfort, however, and necessitates either yelling at table companions or abandoning any attempt at conversation.
When the show gets under way it is introduced by a cocky female emcee (Mel Jones), resplendent in white paint and black gown, who interacts aggressively with Argentinian clown Piky Pokus; just when their exchanges are beginning to pall the magic of a duo of lissom girls known as Aqua Terra (Leda Wight and Jenny Le Roux) kicks in to delight the eye with a pole dance.
Their scantily clad, finely honed, bodies seem to melt into each other like liquid clay with an almost surreal grace. They reappear after interval with gleaming contortions on the high trapeze – a world-class act.
Equally impressive are the two appearances of Australian Tom McKinnon. In the first he demonstrates 100 ways to twirl a hoop with virtually every part of his anatomy, and does so with supple, off-beat elegance. This quality makes his post-interval act on the ropes memorable as it is performed with the insouciance of complete control over joints and muscles. By contrast, it is followed by the ineptitude of Pokus using the same rope-trapeze to underwhelming effect…
A notable contribution is that of Italian bubble-blower extraordinaire, Favaro, whose originality and understated expertise are a delight. He manipulates the ephemeral creations floating out of his equipment with an engaging, detached impishness. Then there is the gasp-inducing boldness of Andrei Gomunov, who puts his comely assistant’s life at risk from flame and knife with alarming determination.
There is much to admire in this intimate entertainment, but there is also room for improvement in its staging.