Review: Spiegel Haus Melbourne and Blanc de Blanc Encore

Review by Michelle Drinnan

Welcome to pure, glorious chaos: a mash-up of circus, cabaret, club vibes and cheeky cringe in the best possible way. It’s wild, weird, cute, and completely unforgettable. If you want polished perfection, look elsewhere. This is club-circus cringe mayhem and it’s fabulous.

An incredibly talented ensemble performing a cabaret style show with highlights from worldwide artists showing their contrasting skills. Imagine Moulin Rouge after a few too many champagnes. Blanc de Blanc is engaging, interactive and a lot of fun. 

Spiegaltents are always really hard to stage and the actors made note of this by performing through the audience as well. Cast should be aware of blind spots. Much of the action was blocked for me by one of the tent struts. 

Our The two emcees: Emile Mathieu (CAN)  & Felix Pouliot (CAN) were delightful and fun, once they found their groove. I don’t love humour that embarrasses specific audience members, especially when risque and no consent is requested. But aside form this, our MCs were engaging and kept a strong through-line running across the show.

Danielle Summers (UK) on aerial hoop delivered a stunning display of strength and agility. Songstress Clara Fable (AUS) delighted the audience with rich, jazz-cabaret vocals. Felix Pouliot (CAN) on pole was mesmerising to watch. Mykhailo Makarovoak from Ukraine as Contortionist was hypnotising. I mean this in the nicest way but there is something wrong with you. I’ve seen some incredible contortionists before, but never have a seen a head spin where it shouldn’t spin! 

 A standout moment for me was the pillow-fight scene. The way thousands of feathers were released into the theatre, drifting slowly over the cast and audience, lit by warm, glowing light, created one of the most beautiful pieces of stage “cinematography” I’ve ever seen. It felt dreamlike.

The ensemble delivered seamless transitions from one act to the next, giving the entire show pace, energy, and cohesion. 

Overall, Spiegel Haus Melbourne and Blanc de Blanc Encore is a wild, immersive ride that will leave you breathless, laughing, and maybe a little cringy,  but in the best way possible. It’s a celebration of talent, theatricality, and that joyous chaos only live performance can deliver. If you’re ready for a night that’s anything but ordinary, this is a must-see.

Image Credit: Cameron Grant