Performing Arts

Theatre Review: Club Swizzle

The creators of the sell-out cabaret show, La Soiree, return to Adelaide in their new production Club Swizzle, a fun and very sparkly affair.

Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre
Reviewed 30 December 2015

The creators of the sell-out cabaret show, La Soiree, return to Adelaide in their new production Club Swizzle, a fun and very sparkly affair.

Club+SwizzleClub Swizzle is small house circus meets cabaret with a hint of burlesque thrown in the mix. The show takes pride in the venue layout. The entire show is set around a bar that doubles as the stage. Before and after the show, and during the interval, the bar is open for business and functions wonderfully as a drawcard to bring the audience out of their seats to mingle with the cast. The Space Theatre at the Adelaide Festival Centre works effectively in converting the venue into an open performance area, which gets everyone close to the action.

The Swizzle Boys are a group of four male performers who, along with emcee Murray Hill, join the individual acts together well. The Swizzle Boys dress as waiters and are a pleasant addition that further pulls the crowd closer to the show. The boys perform acrobatics and slapstick comedy in between the stage changes and on the stage making the transitions smooth and controlled. They put on an impressive display of strength with quirky attitude. The minor mishaps in their stunts are effortlessly converted into the show adding a raw element to the work.

Hill is a crafty comedian and banters charmingly with the audience. The downside was the introduction of the seemingly obligatory audience participation moment. Fortunately it was over quickly as it felt like the only forced component of the show and a little out of place. Once over it was then back to Hill and the band, Mickey and the Nightcaps, to return the show to its fun pace.

The band and other performers created a delightful experience. Ali McGregor sang several pieces. Her voice is powerful and captivating. The reverse burlesque set stood out as a highlight as a clever stunt during the show. The performer, Laurie Hagen, explodes onto the stage already exposed and teases the audience as she dresses. Other stand outs include the costume and lighting work. The glitz pops out from the well designed outfits which match perfectly the personality of the acts.

Valerie Murzak and Dandy Wellington round out the acts with contortion and cabaret that add extra fun and sparkle to the show.

Being created in the spirit of La Soiree, Club Swizzle is a bit of a best-ofs show. The acts feels like the grand finale of other shows but this works in the favour of the overall production as the audience gets to experience the highlights of many performances within one show. To fit in with the theme of the Club Swizzle, the acts are all rounded off with drinks.

Overall, the show is an entertaining night out with a unique audience experience found in the layout of the show.

Reviewed by Alex Dunkin
Twitter: @AlexDunkin

Venue: Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 29 December 2015 – 17 January 2016
Duration: 120mins (inc interval)
Tickets: $64.90 – $99.90
Bookings: https://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/shows/club-swizzle/

 

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