At Adelaide Fringe where gifted acrobats and high budget circus shows abound, Head First Acrobats in 'Elixir Revived' remain head and shoulders above when it comes to merging daredevil feats with larrikin comedy and cohesive narrative.
It is standard now in modern, Cirque du Soleil-era circus for shows to have a unifying theme, rather than just a carnival collection of clowns and acrobats brought together by a ringleader beneath the big top. Often the theme is evident in the sets, costumes and song choices, but the narrative thread can be difficult to discern.
In 'Elixir Revived', like with 'Godz', Head First design their authoritarian dystopia zombie thriller show like it’s a blockbuster movie, with flash-forwards, 'Big Brother'-like voiceovers, choreographed gun fights and more. In this context, the dazzling displays of athleticism mean more. Set in a lab where test subjects are forced to swig test tubes of experimental attribute-enhancing elixir, a super soldier serum of sorts, each act showcases a different ability: strength, flexibility etc.
The quartet of performers intersperse the action with their customary comedic talents. There’s plenty of dick jokes, some peeing into containers, some bouncing of pectorals. The physiques chiselled by years of acrobatics are again on full display, much to the delight of adoring fans. At the centre of it all, though, are some of the more death-defying stunts you will see: balancing perilously atop ladders, knives whistling passed bodies, aerialists spinning from ropes which they clench with their teeth.
'Elixir' might not give you eternal life, but it will remind you of the joys of living.
