In it’s
eleventh year of touring and sixth year in London,
La Soiree still manages to
thrill and excite like it has just burst onto the scene. It’s mix of old
favourites and new acts still makes it the show to see over the next few months.
Constantly
changing, La Soiree keeps you second guessing what will come next. Whether it
is Freddy Mercury obsessive in very tight jeans crowd surfing or a gorgeous acrobat dangling from the top smoking a
cigar, this is a show that is determined to make sure you have a good time.
For anyone
unfamiliar with the show, it is a line up of some of the most eclectic, naughty and talented circus and cabaret acts that you could imagine. It’s performed in the
intimate space of a Spiegeltent situated on the South bank Centre.
The
audience is pushed up close to the performers as they perform on a
small round stage. The intimacy of the space is part of the enjoyment. You can
see the energy and the effort that goes into the performances. You can feel the movement, you can see the beads of sweat and you can smell the motorcycle fumes (more on that in a minute).
There are
the bulging and straining muscles that Denis Lock and Hamish McCann display as
the English Gents; showing off their acrobatic skill, strength and balance.
This is a regular act in the line up but every time I see it, it feels as if the piece is different, becoming more complicated as the
years go on.
This year
there are two new acts in the line up. Yammel Rodriguez with her sexy and
seductive acrobatic routine (complete with a smouldering cigar and dripping
ash) is exciting to watch. While Melanie Chy enters on a motorcycle and does a
thrilling yet seemingly effortless hand balancing act while acting like some
raunchy biker chick.
Not every act is a winner but there is such a camaraderie among the performers and the atmosphere is one where they are continually growing as performers.
It’s a bit
naughty but nothing that wouldn’t be inappropriate for fun-loving open-minded
Londoner types. Given the events that have transpired over the weekend its a
valentine to living life to the fullest without prejudice, ignorance and
barbarism. There is so much to take it seeing it more than once is possibly a must.
La Soiree is on at the South Bank Centre until 17 January 2016.
⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎
This review was part of an evening organised by the lovely people at
Theatre Bloggers.
