It was a very rainy affair for the opening night of Infamous in Brisbane, but this certainly did not dampen our spirits inside the Spiegel Tent. Pitched as a circus-come cabaret style sensation, this show was expected to be of similar ilk to that of “celebrated” naughty circus show Blanc de Blanc.
The audience gathered in a reception area with a well-stocked bar and media wall ready for Insta-snapping and ensuring maximum exposure online. Unfortunately, a trip to the facilities meant a dash out through the elements, yet the staff had paved the way with some rubber matting to ease the situation under foot. With no allocated seating, a queue begun to form at the entrance as we were beckoned in to take our seats.
Once inside we were greeted with a quasi in-the-round set up with tiered seating encompassing three quarters of the stage. There were some cabaret-style tables focused on a giant metallic structure made up of two human-sized hamster wheels connected by a metal bar. The entire structure revolves from a central pivot with a cast member inside each circle. As an opening act this was memorising. Surely they weren’t going to have two people, rotating at speed, performing acrobatics, many metres above the floor? Oh yes, they were! This certainly set the bar for the rest of the show.
The remaining acts ranged from juggling to balletic and acrobatic pair work. There were some impressive appearances using the unicycle and a juggler who successfully tackled the balancing act of seven balls. The finale saw some frightening trapeze work which certainly wowed the audience. However, the star of the show was a drunk, friendly “tent attendant/sweeper” who played a starring role throughout the night. An incredible gymnast and acrobat in his own right, he played multiple roles all with the soul aim of making you laugh.
Each act was linked with relatively fluid set changes and for longer pauses in proceedings there was a song and dance performance. The acoustics were not the most generous, with the singer’s voice being lost in the Spiegel, but the burlesque dancing certainly made for a pleasant enough distraction.
Audible gasps, continuous disbelief and some sensational laugh-out-loud moments ensured a delightful evening’s entertainment for the audience. As we left the Spiegel Tent, we knew we’d had a good night, our cheeks were aching from laughter and we’d escaped the real world for a little while. Buy tickets to this show to have a giggle with your friends and see some incredible athletes showcase just what the human body can do.
By Charlotte Hall
