Adelaide Fringe 2014
LIMBO
Strut & Fret Production House, Underbelly Productions and Southbank Centre
Genre: Physical Theatre
Venue: Garden of Unearthly Delights - Paradiso Spiegeltent - Kadlitpina/Rundle Park, Cnr East Tce & Rundle Rd, Adelaide
Festival: Adelaide Fringe
Low Down
The greatest party between heaven and hell is back. The record-breaking, award-winning Spiegeltent sensation returns to the Garden with dirty and dangerous circus-cabaret, whisking audiences into a sinister netherworld of jaw-dropping contortion, gut-churning aerial acrobatics, nail-biting stunts and staggering illusions. Set to the ‘flamboyant and intoxicating’ live score by New York’s musical chameleon, Sxip Shirey, with his ecstatic melodies, irreverent electric-acoustic noise and playful sexy beats.
Review
The line-up outside the Paradiso Spiegeltent says as much about this show as any advertising can, it’s popular. Having secured a seat in a booth (and worked out how best to see around the column partially blocking my view) I was greeted by a wall of sound that slowly materialised into some truly amazing ragtime-bluegrass-funk-soul-fusion compositions by Sxip Shirey.
The tiny circular stage was transformed by a parade of bohemian performers, reminiscent of the American Sideshow entertainers of the 30’s, or Tim Burton’s carnies in Big Fish; contortionists, aerialists, acrobats and even a sublime routine incorporating tap dancing and boleadora. Outstanding Chinese Pole and hand balancing, aerial hoop and magic graced the small performance area. Audiences seated in the front rows even had four death-defying performers swaying precariously over them on 4 meter high flexible poles.
There is no real storyline to LIMBO, though the general atmosphere is that we are all in, or going to hell! The music builds and ebbs as performers dazzle us with their lascivious asides and cheeky flirtations. The promotional line “dirty and dangerous circus-cabaret” sums up LIMBO exceptionally well.
