Strut & Fret's 'Blanc De Blanc Encore', a spectacular affair of burlesque, comedy, dance numbers, and circus acts, had its Australian premiere in 2019.
The show made such a splash that it sold out the Sydney Opera House and opened a Pandora’s box of opportunity and acclaim down under, touring the likes of Brisbane and Darwin Festivals, Adelaide Fringe and Twilight Electric to name but a few appearances.
Jacking up all the opulent cheekiness of that thrilling production, Strut & Fret have brought back the dazzling debauchery for another round in Sydney.
There’s something more than the seductive thrill of this extravagant show that 'Blanc De Blanc' cast member Spencer Craig feels entices Australian audiences to theatre seats. “I feel like if you’re down to clown, if you’re willing to have a good time and not be a quiet, shy audience member, it’s the perfect show for someone like that. I feel Aussies are very open as audience members, and I feel like they’re ready to have a good time and they’re willing to enjoy the ridiculousness of the show.”
“They’re fun audiences, down to have a good time, and the show is like a big party and I think if you’re able to get on that level, it’s a great time.”
Image © Roy Vandervegt
You could easily put the cabaret canopy over 'Blanc De Blanc Encore', but people new to that world and that style of entertainment may not know what falls under the blanket. 'Blanc De Blanc', in Spencer’s words, is a comedy adult show, with high level acrobatics, burlesque and singing – an eclectic mix. 'Encore', as far as the immersion of the original production, raises the bar. “We have more effects, more audience participation,” explains Spencer, “it’s levelled up from the original show.
“It’s everything we did in the original 'Blanc', but doubled, amplified, twice as much.”
For their return to Sydney, 'Blanc De Blanc Encore' is bringing with it what Spencer calls a “very refined” cast.
“All of our acrobatic performers are 'Cirque Du Soleil' alumni, and that standards stays [in 'Encore'] but it’s a lot more comedy, a lot more burlesque, a lot more than most of the 'Cirque Du Soleil'-type shows, which I guess is what makes it a cabaret. The cast now is, I would almost say one of the strongest casts we’ve ever had doing a 'Blanc De Blanc' season.
“Returning to Sydney after such a great run at the Opera House, we wanted to make sure the show was as strong as possible, and all the cast mates in this version of the show have all been in multiple productions for Strut & Fret. They’re all seasoned professionals when it comes to cabaret and circus.”
“We stacked the show with the best of the best for this season.”
Since the early noughties, when we had now-big names like Dita Von Teese putting cabaret and burlesque on the mainstream map, the art has progressed to be more inclusive of minority groups, including performers who are members of the LGBT+ community. This progression in our socio-political environment is one Spencer has noticed on and off stage, he says.
And in terms of things like queerness and the LGBT+ community, 'Blanc De Blanc Encore' ties into that world, but without any intentional emphasis. “One big thing is when we were creating the show, we never wanted cast members to have super clear sexual kind of preferences or identities on stage,” says Spencer.
Image © Nick Jones
“We never wanted the audience members to immediately think ‘This is a straight performer, this is a gay performer, this is a queer performer, etc.,’ we wanted people to see the performers as these beings on stage and take away the label of what their sexual preferences were.
“For me, I prefer that people have no clue if I’m gay or straight, and I feel most of the performers in the show feel that way, too. It creates more of an openness of this magical world of 'anything is possible' and whatever goes, goes.
If you take a look at the trailer for 'Blanc De Blanc Encore', you’ll see the show is rife with a lot of teasing, and a lot of fun. “It’s a mixed bag of all kinds of stuff!” Spencer laughs. “I think taking away such clear gender rules,” Spencer continues of the show’s sexual entity, “it’s more fun for the audience and it’s more exciting for us, too. Everyone parties and flirts with everyone and it creates an open energy for the show.
“It takes away the clear borders around all that kind of stuff and playing on the border of sexuality.”
'Blanc De Blanc Encore' plays The Grand Electric in Surry Hills 7 January-4 March.
