Review by Tatum Stafford
Fresh onto the stage after a very dramatic public onstage accident, Hans’ first Perth Fringe season in a few years is a hoot and an absolute must-see for first-time Fringe goers and fans alike.
Backed by two talented vocalists and a two-piece band, Hans strutted the stage like he owned it for a jam-packed setlist of disco hits, Australiana classics (in polka style, of course) and even classical piano interludes.
During the first song it was clear Hans has some superfans and returning audience members in this crowd. There were groups of people dancing in their seats, clapping and waving, and having a great time as Hans sang, danced, and made his way through the crowd to welcome people.
Hans is easily one of the most comfortable and enthusiastic cabaret performers I’ve ever seen. He is lightning quick in his banter with his back-up singers and band (and audience), and has a knack for reading the room. It was such a treat to watch him call out to certain people throughout the night – on the night I attended, a gorgeous older woman called Pat was tasked twice with retying his shoelaces. Pat was there with 10 or so friends and it was so lovely to see them enjoying themselves, cackling along with Hans’ many jokes, and dancing in their seats.
The audience interaction in this show is hilarious and feels very Fringe appropriate. Two men were pulled up, dragged up in Hans’ iconic glitter costuming, and tasked to lip sync for the audience. It was plenty of fun, and the audience were super supportive. Hans chose the perfect people for the job and was very encouraging to both of them, which was a relief, given I’m sure it would have not been a factor in their night out when they first chose their seats.
One of the most enjoyable moments of the set was when Hans picked up his trademark accordion and did a few polkafied renditions of Aussie classics, including “Throw Your Arms Around Me” and “I Should Be So Lucky” (in German, naturally). He ran laps around the audience and got everyone involved, which was so fun to watch and dance along to.
Shout-out to Hans’ back-up singers and dancers, who twirled and belted in gorgeous costumes and did a great job at keeping the crowd engaged while Hans changed into glittery jumpsuit after glittery jumpsuit (the finale costume is a real showstopper). Their voices shone in “Got To Be Real” towards the end of the show, which was a ton of fun.
This is such a fun, fast-paced and entertaining hour of Fringe. There are plenty of songs to bop along to (“Boogie Wonderland” and “Proud Mary” certainly got people up and dancing), and Hans is incredibly charismatic and hilarious on the mic. Highly recommend catching him and his talented back-up crew in action.
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