Reviewed by Lauren Donikian
Cake – an item of soft, sweet, or savoury food made from a mixture of flour, fat, eggs, sugar, and other ingredients. If that is what you are expecting, you are at the wrong show. Although a lot of ‘cake’ is on display.
As you walk into the hall you are met with pink lights and a smoky pink mist hanging around the front of the stage, the back wall is a pastel-coloured crepe delight. Round black tables that seat 4 are set up in the middle of the room with high tables and stools on either side. The performers are mingling with the audience, and a remix of pop songs is playing overhead. You can instantly tell that you are in for a good time.
Burlesque, clown, and cheek are just some of the features of this hour of fun. With audience interaction and loads of talent this group of 7 performers leaves you gagging for more. Garry Starr, who is the MC for the night, introduces us to his friends and sets the tone for the night. In white leggings, a pink jacket and a white ruff collar he is energetic, supportive of the cast and an expert at catching grapes. Morgan Wilson, a fellow clown, looks like a shy little boy in his pink shorts and short sleeve shirt. But there is nothing G rated about him. He engages with the audience almost in full mime, throwing them lollipops, party poppers and blowouts and miming what should be done with them. The blowouts are a big part of the fun as the audience catches on to the game quickly and is very receptive to his prompts. The relationship between him and Starr shifts throughout the show, but it is very fun to see them play off against each other. Shona Conacher shows off her hula hoop and trampoline skills with a sense of ease that lets the audience know that they won’t be disappointed. Commitment to character would be the most ideal way to describe her performance. When her, Starr, and Leopold Pentland perform their act they are silly, goofy and very cheeky. James Silvestro is the master of the Cyr wheel, performing tricks I have never seen before. Memphis Mae thrills in her ruffles of pink and an actual cake. To be honest I would’ve been content with that being her only talent, but the burlesque queen owned her time in the spotlight with flirty fun and stunning costumes. Kween Kong closed out the night with a death drop, as to be expected and stunned the audience with her skills. The energy was high throughout the hour except for a few moments when the time between acts was a little long. Regardless, that didn’t deter the audience from having a great time and joining in on the fun with raucous laughter.
The hour flew and I left in a sense of awe. Not just because of the acts I saw, but because these performers own who they are. The pride they take in their art, bodies and sexuality is something to be admired. They test the boundaries and are completely free on stage. They were the icing on the cake for me.
Image Supplied
Comments