Hot Brown Honey: Raw And Sexy At Royal Croquet Club – Adelaide Fringe Review

Royal Croquet Club’s Ukiyo, Sun Feb 22 Billed as burlesque for the hip hop generation, drawing inspiration from Josephine Baker and deploying the talent and speaking up for all black, brown and mixed women of colour this is a monster show that threatened to blow the tent away through sheer force of energy and attitude. Anything that can mix opera, South Pacific and Dr Maya Angelou gets my vote. Opera singer Heru Pinkasova’s powerfully rich voice might be how the show took its name; she was spellbinding, her arias hypnotic and an absolutely regal presence on stage. If a lioness could sing she would sound like this. All participants, from Lisa Fa’alafi the stupendous choreographer and dancer with endless legs and some wild costumes to tiny aerialist Crystal Stacey completely own the stage, but none more so Kim Bowers, who gives a fine demonstration of her ‘angry black woman ‘ face in a variety of outlandish outfits. In any ensemble piece she felt like the heart and soul of the night, a powerhouse of a performer. My only cavil is there was some audience participation that was targeted at people who weren’t crying out for stage time, and one poor bloke will probably be mentally scarred for life after his molestation by boobs, even if the rest of us found it a riot. The show rages with raw glamour and is sexy, provocative and bossy in equal measure. Hugely entertaining this feels like the baby steps of something that will be huge. There’s no room for subtlety here, it’s bold, colourful and beautifully brash. This makes La Soiree look like a vicar’s tea-party. Julia Chamberlain Hot Brown Honey continues at Royal Croquet Club’s Ukiyo until Sun Mar 15. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.