By Debbie Djordjevic
Is it cabaret or is it circus? Whatever it is, Barbu, the newest show from Canada’s Cirque Alfonse, is a daring yet silly, sexy yet fun hour and a half which will set your pulse racing.
Five bearded men (think Mad Max meets Edwardian gent) and two extremely supple and strong women, take to the stage accompanied by a live band which plays a mean and furious set with a variety of instruments perfectly attuned to the mayhem onstage. And it is a very small stage, being the centrepiece of the tent at London’s Wonderground on the Southbank, a space which over the last few years has brought the excitement of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival south, for those who can’t make the trek up north.
Big, burly, half-naked men hurling women and one another around in close proximity to the audience adds to the tension – we were glad to be sitting five rows from the front where you would have been showered with sweat at the very least, and are so close to the action that should anything go wrong there is the possibility of you, the audience, providing a soft landing for a performer. This all adds to the excitement but doesn’t really detract from how well-timed and well-honed this show is. There are some beautiful bits (admitted performed by the women) and some funny bits (I don’t want to give too much away as it will spoil the show) and some great accompanying video projections. Overall you won’t fail to be mesmerised by the strength and physicality of this young troupe, the majority of whom have trained at Montreal’s famous circus school but which also includes a professional dancer and an ex-skiing champion.
Admittedly it’s a sweaty night out for all concerned, audience and performers alike, but that just adds to the atmosphere and the fun, and you will get a taste of what it’s like at the Edinburgh Fringe if you’ve never been.
Tickets are from £30 (add £1 booking fee if you book online) and the show is on from now until September 25th.
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