“… exciting energy … This theatre has managed to know and deliver exactly what Sydney audiences want. The venue is cool, the cocktails delicious, and the ambience welcoming.”
Julia Newbould
4 Stars
Venue : The Grand Electric, Surry Hills
Sydney
Dates: Until December 21st.
La Ronde – where spectacle meets seduction
Circus acts, soulful songs, and a clown can sum up La Ronde, but it doesn’t go far enough in describing the depth and skill of the performers, the mesmerised audience, and the overall excellence of a well-conceived and delivered show. With performers gathered from around the globe for the show, Australian performer Adam Malone described it as “like Eurovision of Sydney right now”.
It may be Eurovision, but with a cast of extremely ripped performers, barring Sam Goodburn the clown from the UK. Sam has drawn Texta lines across his body to look ripped, and even tries to draw them on a man he selects from the audience to come onto the stage with him. However, the man already has abs, so declines the Texta markings.
There are laughs, there are gasps, and there are also moments of silence as the audience takes in the incredibly muscular physiques of the performers in what is described as an immersive journey.
It’s almost an anatomy lesson in how perfect bodies should look.
Stunning in his heels and sparkles, Adam blurs gender lines and performance with his acrobatic moves, dexterity with hula hoops, and camp sexiness exuding from every move.
Fellow Australian Danik Abishev is labelled as an “aggressive hand balancer” and his act on a ladder has everyone on the edge of their seat, holding their breath, to see how high he can climb the untethered ladder. Sam Goodburn, who looks a little like Where’s Wally without the stripes, invites audience members to the stage at different times. One to help him put on his pants – it’s hilarious – another ends up on his shoulders as he rides a unicycle, and the third is made to jump around to Zorba the Greek. It’s all very entertaining for the audience and also for the participants.
Geniris, from the Dominican Republic, struts the stage in a barely-there dress to sing the very appropriate Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out”. Yes, she is, and we can’t take our eyes off her. Aerialist Diana Bondarenko, from Germany, is all elegance as she performs on the
pyramid trapeze and, dances with the rest of the cast. Ukrainian Sergiy Mischchurenko has a body that can move almost as a contortionist, his strength sees him wrap himself around the aerial pole with ease, and just when you think he’s done something incredible, he ups it and goes that little bit further. Zoe Marshall, another Australian, opens the acrobatics for the show by hanging by her hair as she swings across and over the stage.
Combining velvet-voiced and charismatic soul singer Geniris and the Cirque de Soleil-style talents of the rest of the cast, director Scott Maidment and choreographer Melanie Hawkins have provided yet another hit for the Grand Electric Theatre.
This theatre has managed to know and deliver exactly what Sydney audiences want. The venue is cool, the cocktails delicious, and the ambience welcoming.
La Ronde is a great opportunity to see under-exposed talent, exciting energy, and some incredible looking performers in a well-curated show in a fun venue.
Four circus tents
Julia Newbould, Theatre Now
