Review: Blanc de Blanc
Adelaide Fringe
You may think you’ve seen it all when it comes to Fringe cabaret. Turns out, you haven’t. ★★★★★
Raise your glasses, ladies and gentlemen, to this decadent soirée, a throbbing homage to the temptations and pleasures of champagne.
Suave maître’d Monsieur Romeo and his hedonistic troupe of performers are coming to sweep you into their riotous world of desire and abandonment.
Blanc de Blanc, the latest in a series of award-winning shows created by production house Strut & Fret, is packed full of physical prowess and polished performances. The entire cast is outstanding, from Masha and her high-flying hotel luggage cart, to Shun’s breakdancing yoga on steroids, and Hampus and partner Milena’s ascent on the aerial straps from spa tub to the heights of the tent roof.
Some of this looks decidedly dangerous and all of it displays a combination of sheer strength and artistry.
What sets Blanc de Blanc apart from similar shows is its humour. It’s a perfect blend of burlesque and circus delivered with impeccable comic timing and characterisation.
Sidekick Spencer is hilarious. His comedy contortion routines are a mash-up of exorcist meets elevator music, and they sit well alongside the rest of the physical theatre which includes a techno-flapper hula-hoop routine and a giant head-eating balloon.
There is some audience participation but if you’re game it’s fairly painless. One victim, Simone, had a naughty lesson on how to open a bottle of champers but she was rewarded by being allowed to keep what was left.
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The sumptuous vintage vibe of the costumes is glorious, all sequinned glutes and glittered nipples, kinky cats, and tits and ass up close and very personal indeed.
Be warned. This show is not for kids nor those of a prudish persuasion. There is strong language (mainly in the choice of songs) and when Romeo compliments Emma Maye for having “a beautiful voice”, it’s with a wink and a nod to several of her other talents (the ones that earn the show its R18+ rating).
The “obscene beauty queen, surreal showgirl and sex clown” has a big surprise for one gentleman, plucked from the safety of his seat far away from the front row.
Blanc de Blanc is loud, lewd and very, very funny. Just surrender – you know you want to.
Five stars
Blanc de Blanc is showing at the Magic Mirror Spiegeltent Garden of Unearthly Delights until March 19.
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