Illuminate By Madhouse Circus At Gluttony’s The Peacock – Adelaide Fringe Review

Gluttony’s The Peacock, Tue Feb 24 Madhouse Circus returns to this year’s Fringe line up with a show promising to explore the use of lighting while showcasing their acrobatic and individual specialist skills. Whether it was opening night jitters or just lack of rehearsal Illuminate, for the most part, failed to deliver what was promised. The troupe of six young performers took to the stage ready and raring to go but as the show went on and mistakes continued there was a sense that they had given up. Some of the lighting effects used throughout the show were quite cute as fairy lights were wrapped around some of the performer’s bodies, other lighting effects helped highlight the performers amazing strength on the hand balancing poles as every muscle rippled in the light. However some lighting choices left you on the dark, literally, as a few members of the group jumped around on stage while two other members held a torch each leaving the audience with little to watch. The glow in the dark juggling batons were a different and fun lighting effect however the novelty soon wore off they were being dropped everywhere taking him three to four times to nail the act. Some highlights were the Corde Lisse (long piece of cord) that two of the performers intertwined each other in, using their amazing strength to climb and unravel each other with another being the Roue Cyr (giant hula hoop) that saw one of the troupe members using his strength to manoeuvre and roll around inside the hoop. There is certainly potential for this to be an amazing show but perhaps with more practice and better lighting decisions this truly could be an illuminating performance. Sarah Mena Illuminate continues at Gluttony’s The Peacock until Sun Mar 1. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.