Ched & Charles review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | Studio Nexus

They’re the Bert and Ernie of the circus world. Meet Ched and Charles, thick as thieves and the very best of friends. Created by NICA graduates Gabriel Walker and Luca Trimboli, Ched & Charles is a family-friendly circus show about friendship and finding the whimsy in the mundane.

The show opens with an acrobatic act that the pair make seemingly light work of as they flip and lift each other into the air, poking fun at their height difference and using it to their advantage. Once introductions are out of the way, we move to a café, where Ched orders a delicious sandwich. What should be a standard transaction becomes a literal balancing act, with Charles preparing the order while balancing on a ladder. It’s a playful twist on an otherwise everyday task.

The wackiness continues, with Ched having a cheesy night-time encounter with a cheeky rat, while Charles finds a rather unlikely way to plate up breakfast. These absurd scenarios provide opportunities for the pair to combine their circus skills with physical comedy.

Aside from repeatedly calling out each other’s names, Ched & Charles is mostly non-verbal, relying on visual silliness and physical antics to entertain and the simple humour making it accessible to audiences of different ages and backgrounds. Their matching orange and brown sweaters and argyle bottoms give them a warm, aesthetic synchrony, while their use of the other's robes adds another cheerful touch.

The duo perform on a large, almost bare black stage, gradually introducing props and equipment as their routines unfold. It’s a nice reminder of how an empty space can become a playground for creativity and imagination. It’s a shame, then, that they eventually clear everything to the side for the finale. Moving everything towards the back while still keeping it on display might have allowed that sense of play to continue to build. That said, the climax is still a big bang of nonsense - even if it doesn't quite sit in the realm of the "everyday" - that brings the show to an enjoyable conclusion.

With their blend of acrobatics, visual comedy and absurd everyday scenarios, Walker and Trimboli create an entertaining celebration of friendship and imagination. Ched & Charles finds its charm in the ridiculous, reminding us that even the most ordinary activities can become an opportunity for mischief and amusement.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Studio Nexus, 1 Chifley Dr, Preston
Season: until 18 October | Sat 1:30pm, Sun 2:30pm
Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: $28 Full | $22 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival

Image credit: Jessica Connell