For a few nights each year, Zeus lets his fellow gods run amok among the mortals – this time returning to Perth Fringe World at the Aurora Spiegeltent! The weather wasn’t the only thing that was hot for opening night of the festival.
The talented troupe behind Head First Acrobats brought Hercules, Cupid, Apollo, and Dionysus centre stage to bare all in a unique mix of circus and physical prowess, peppered with high-octane acrobatics and hilarious antics that engaged audiences throughout.
The performance started off a little slow, then broke out into a fast-paced storyline led by physical theatre and circus acts. At first, the narrative was up to interpretation, until mid-way through the hour, where some direction was led by Cal Harris (Hercules).
The delivery of each set was highly entertaining – peppered with small awkward moments that were easily played off with light-hearted gestures, and boyish charm. As a group, they had fantastic energy that was playful and dynamic, allowing for peaks and valleys. Head First Acrobats allowed pockets for the audience to process emotion – from anxious stunts to comedic skits.
Liam Dummer (Cupid) sparked excitement in the audience as they transitioned into Zeus for the closing performance – a moment of aerial ballet in high-heels, leather, and a luscious beard. Thomas Gorham (Apollo) encapsulated the boyish charm of the God of Light, but put the 'haayy' in Hades, when he performed aerial stunts on his head to German death metal. Harris played into the fantasy we all wanted from Hercules, putting the Tart in Tartarus, and scaling a ladder whilst ‘Zero To Hero’ played. Jordan Twartz (Dionysus) mesmerised audiences with his juggling work, and along with the troupe, enthralled audiences during their trip to Hell – we won’t spoil much, nun’s the word, so to speak.
'GODZ' was a multi-disciplinary circus performance that highlighted the troupe's triple-threat status. There’s space to trim the fat with the performance, and perhaps incorporate some side-actions during major performances to help soften the transition between acts. But overall, 'GODZ' delivers the quintessential Fringe Festival charm and cheek.
Whether the stunts or the nudity takes your breath away, 'GODZ' will have you saying, “oh my god”. They’ll leave you flustered, and feeling some kind of way. Check it out before they return to Mount Olympus.
★★★☆☆ 1/2
