Presented by Tumble Circus
Reviewed 10 March 2018
Roll up for an entertaining and amusing circus all the way from Ireland that provides gasp-worthy acrobatics, laugh-out-loud humour and an interesting take on the theme of circus acts and physical theatre.
Dressed in dirty and unkempt basic white clothing, the performers begin their show with an all-out battle between themselves, clowning around with each other in a vibrant display of theatrical, slapstick violence. This is a good summary for the overlaying theme of the show – there is plenty of hair-pulling and body-smacking devilment on show.
Unsuitable presents a variety of circus-inspired characters such as a manic depressive, chain smoking clown, a talented tightrope walker who must battle a number of random items propelled at her, a pair of male police officers in love who attempt to hide their feelings and a very resentful aerial acrobat whose sister, Helga, left her for the wondrous, world travelling Cirque Du Soleil.
The show also addresses contemporary social issues, such as LGBTQI+ rights and the upcoming referendum on abortion in Ireland, as well as historical references about both Ireland and Northern Ireland’s pasts. These parts of the show personalise the acts, bringing life to what would otherwise be just traditional circus performances and it would be great to see more of these peculiarly Irish connections within the performance.
Ken Evil, an Irelander grown out of the grubby Dublin suburb of Balbriggan, and Tina Machina, who travelled to Ireland from her picturesque yet boring home of Lund in Switzerland, lead the cast which also includes internationally renowned circus performers from Finland, Switzerland and Australia. Although the performers all successfully work cohesively with each other in very close physical proximity, the devilish humour needs to be pushed to the next level to really make this circus experience truly memorable.
Unsuitable is an all-round fun and entertaining show that, despite not achieving its full potential, will still provide a fun night out for those looking for some in-your-face circus entertainment.
Reviewed by Georgina Smerd
Twitter: @Georgie_xox
Rating out of 5: 3.5
Venue: Empire Theatre at Royal Croquet Club, Pinky Flat/Tarnda Womma, North Adelaide, SA, 5006
Season: 10 – 18 March
Duration: 60 min
Tickets: $28
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/unsuitable-af2018
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