Circa's Peepshow

Circa’s Peepshow

Theatre Royal

Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP

There’s something ultimately appealing about paring back a production to the reveal high levels of performing arts training without massive and distracting production noise. In fact, the shimmering silver curtain looks like it could have come from a strip joint or an RSL club.

Circa’s Peepshow is a combination of amazing circus skills, acrobatics, dance, vaudeville, cabaret and burlesque. It’s many things without being one specific thing.

The troupe members emerge wearing simple white shirts and black, glittering short-shorts and they perform routines that establish bonding between them, and their amazing skills and sublime flexibility become obvious.

They progress into brilliant executions of the Aerial Straps, the Cigar Box Manipulation and many other traditional circus and vaudeville favourites. The cigar box juggle starts with the usual three and works up to ten.

One appealing aspect of the show is that there are very experienced performers working with newer ones who are still developing their talents.

Even though the eight performers show plenty of skin, the production is light on sexiness. It’s enthralling without being titillating, engaging without being seductive. The “peepshow” part of the title, methinks, might be clickbait.

The musical backings are an eclectic mish-mash of genres including Just A Gigolo and Sweet Dreams.

In this era of cynicism in which we're not easily impressed, it’s pleasing to hear gasps of astonishment throughout the show. Yes, Circa’s Peepshow provides many of those moments of wonderment. You might just become a child again.