Elixir - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Despite the fact that zombies are no longer limited to the horror genre, you could be surprised to learn of a zombie circus show being performed in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, but that's exactly what Head First Acrobats have created. Elixir sees three scientists who inadvertently bring forth a zombie apocalypse while trying to create an elixir of life.
 
The scientists - Callan Harris, Harley Timmerman and AJ Saltamacchia (replacing Thomas Gorham just weeks before opening after an injury) - ingest their body enhancing potions and go through various tests that push the capabilities of the human form. Fortunately the three are highly talented circus artists, so the results are quite awe-inspiring. Harris' free-standing ladder routine is a highlight, full of hold-your-breath intensity as he scales the ladder to perform precarious acrobatics and balancing acts. Timmerman's use of the cyr wheel showcases the great control and skill he possesses, using the momentum of the wheel to spin around as he grips it with his hands and feet.

Kooza review

Trying to put into words what watching Cirque Du Soleil's Kooza (inspired by the Sanskrit words "koza", meaning "box" or "treasure") is like, is not the easiest thing when you spend the majority of the show absolutely speechless and stunned with the skills and performances of its hugely talented cast. Returning to Melbourne with this brand new show, Cirque Du Soleil dazzles once again as Kooza tells the story of The Innocent as he is transported into a world of surprises in a kingdom inhabited by strange and peculiar people.

The night is a non-stop run of entertainment and wonderment, which includes Mongolian contortionists Sunderiya Jargalsaikhan and Ninjin Altankhuyag twisting their bodies in ways and in speeds you've never seen before that would put The Exorcist to shame. Other performances include an intense double high wire act, a romantic unicycle duo and a chair balancing act that reaches some amazing heights.

However, the award for the most heart-stopping moment I have had in watching a live show would have to go to Jimmy Ibarra and Ronald Solisand with their 700kg Wheel of Death routine. Powered solely by the two Colombians, the huge wheel is rotated and counter-rotated at incredible speeds with leaps, jumps and skips that had everyone on the edge of the seats. A slight stumble from one of the performers sent fear rippling through the audience, reminding us that we are seeing high risk acts where precision timing is key with no room for even the slightest of errors.

Sideshow review

The circus has come to town, but in the case of Sideshow, this is not a family-friendly - or even a human-friendly - circus. There are powers of darkness, death, murder and spirits from the other world that are part of this troupe and in this immersive performance, it is down to the audience to stop this travelling carnival of horrors from causing doom.

Sideshow is certainly fun but there are a number of reasons it unfortunately does not work. Firstly, the experience just isn't as scary as it proclaims to be and this is bound to be a huge disappointment for its audiences. Apart from our creepy clown friend, there aren't any frights or tension, unless the constant repeat of people jumping out of the "darkness" and growling at you are where your fears stem from.

I Don't Like You review - Melbourne Fringe

Andrew Milne and Patch Blank have brought their unique clowning and performance art production I Don’t Like You to audiences as part of the 2015 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Their debut show initially explores the relationship and emotions between two friends who actually don’t really like each other.

I Don’t Like You starts off strongly and with a seemingly clear aim of where it is headed. The duo are very skilled at finding humour in a range of situations and reminded me a little of the physical comedy popularised by Mr. Bean with their highly expressive faces and exaggerated movements. Milne and Blank play well together and their best work is when they are interacting with each other.

Circus Oz's Close to the Bone review

When I go to the circus I often can’t help feeling like a child again as I watch in awe, wonderment and envy at the acts on display. Fortunately for me, these feelings continue to be felt at the Melba Spiegeltent with the current show from Circus Oz, Close To The Bone.

The first thing you notice upon entering is the surprising size of the Spiegeltent. It’s a small and intimate space, which works well from an audience member perspective because no matter where you sit, you can more or less hear the heavy breathing of the performers, see the sweat dripping down their faces, and really see the strength and flexibility on display. These are highly talented professionals who are pushing themselves to their limits, and possibly even further.