Absinthe By Spiegelworld

Absinthe by Spiegelworld features some amazing acrobatics but it isn’t a show for the prudish.

It’s easy to see why this cabaret style circus/burlesque/song and dance show is rated ‘adults only’. Colorful language and sexual jokes abound while there’s also lots of flesh and body parts on show! At the same time the skills of the performers are, at times, breathtaking.

Given the show is held in a spiegeltent – a century-old Belgian tent, crafted from teak, stained glass, mirrors and velvet – it is also quite an intimate experience. From our seats in row E, we could see the athletes’ rippling muscles as they showed their remarkable strength and skills and put their bodies into almost impossible positions! Their level of concentration was equally evident on what was a very small stage.

This was especially true of Michael Nowosadko and Zbigniew Sobierakski from Poland whose `Hand Balance’ feat was amazing. Muscles and strength also came to the fore in The Birdcage Ladies where Laura von Bongard and Luka Clayburn from Germany performed a hoop duet. Los Dos Tacos saw Andrei Sizonenka and Aliasandra Yurkavets from Belarus perform a human football routine on a high double horizontal bar.

Other acts included Oleksandr Volohdn (Ukraine) who built a high chair mountain, and The Lost Souls, also from the Ukraine, who presented an acrobatic Banquine Act. The final act of the evening, The Frat Pack (USA) on the High Wire, showed not all performers had to have the perfect bodies even though two out of the three did!

The Green Fairy – Australian performer Karla Tonkich -provided the musical entertainment.  Other performers included Angie Sylvia from Sweden who performed a Fire Burlesque act and Balloon Strip while host Gazillionaire and `loyal assistant’ Penny Pibbets provided the humour and much of the `adult only’ content of the show – although there was a `sexual connotation’ to most acts. And a word of warning– if you are at all sensitive or worried about audience participation don’t sit in the front row!

The Melbourne show is being held  on the Rooftop at Crown Melbourne   It lasts for 90 minutes and there is no interval. Drinks can be purchased from the bar set up outside the spiegeltent while there’s also a bar service inside the tent.

Absinthe is on Brisbane until June 28. It then moves to Perth where it opens on July 11 and Sydney – opening on September 15.  The Absinthe website has more details.

Jenny Burns attended the opening night of Absinthe in Melbourne on March 26 as a guest of Spiegelworld and Nine Live.