Presented by Circle of Eleven
Reviewed Saturday 18th February 2012
Adelaide Fringe – Soap: The Show
Soap: The Show website
Venue: The Vagabond, Garden of Unearthly Delights, Rundle Park/Kadlitpinna, cnr East Tce & Rundle Rd, Adelaide
Season: 10pm on 21-26, 28-29 February and 1-4, 6-11, 13-18 March; 11.45pm on 9 March; 7pm on 10 March; 5pm on 4, 11, 18 March
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: Adult $48, Conc/Group $44
Bookings: Fringetix 1300-FRINGE (1300-374643), their outlets ($2.75 booking fee applies when booking through FingeTix), or online at Fringe bookings
Mention the word 'bathtub' and a plethora of images arise: water, of course, then rubber duckies, towels, skin, classical music, perhaps a bit of opera, and for some, a bit of romance and fun. It's all these elements combined that make up the uniqueness of Soap: The Show, a human circus of eight highly skilled, gorgeous performers that centre their acts around six bathtubs.
While diving, swinging, leaping and arching over the porcelain tubs, precision is everything, right alongside the extraordinary flexibility of every man and woman on stage.
Sadly, the sightlines are appalling for those sitting to the side, with some complete acts unable to be seen around the lighting rig. For such a higher-end ticket price, one would expect a show to adapt to the venue as much as practical, such as moving some acts downstage to an empty tub, where everyone can see. Potential punters should be warned that, as good as this show is, you must be sure to queue at least half an hour early in order to grab a seat centred to the stage.
Soap: The Show relies as much on comedy as it does on acrobatic skills, and it succeeds in all areas, with the clowning element coming by way of a cutesy gal who muddles around the stage at various times, interacting with both the cast and audience.
Acts are often accompanied by comical reinterpretations of well known songs and classical music such as Bobby Darin's Splish Splash sung as opera, and lyrics added to Strauss's waltz, The Blue Danube.
The high class acts themselves include feats of gymnastics and acrobatics, aerial straps, a stunning dance trapeze in rain, juggling, hand puppetry, twirling and feats of flexibility that leave your jaw dropping.
If you have an appetite for sex appeal and great entertainment, this is one to whet your appetite. Just be early to ensure you can see everything.
Reviewed by Rod Lewis, Performing Arts Critic, Glam Adelaide.
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