The title LIMBO – The Return may imply more of the same sort of circus stuff as seen in previous Strut & Fret works. However, the reality is far from it with this 100-minute show. Indeed, having toured 17 countries, the original award-winning LIMBO has come back, re-imagined and more jaw-dropping than ever, full of fresh acts like fire whip cracking, a beat-box controlled fracture of light in deliberate dance around the space and an amazingly choregraphed bendy Chinese pole act that brings performers up close and personal with some audience members, albeit from high above.
The Queensland premiere, as part of the 2024 Brisbane festival (and now also beyond) also marks the grand opening of its new live entertainment venue – the brand-new permanent 400+ seat theatre and bar, The West End Electric, which provides an oasis of opulence in the heart of West End. Indeed, while the show’s realisation is very speigeltent-like in both its use of space and sensibility, the atmosphere of the bespoke venue and especially its upstairs cocktail bar is very vintage theatre glam, befitting its opening night dress code. And in keeping with the art deco style of its ‘20s circus atmosphere, there is also a vaudevillian feel to much of the show’s humour and audience interaction from the artists. The bowler hats and canes, of an early tap number, for example, are later enhanced as a slack rope balanced performer flips a hat from his foot to land of his head with astonishing ease.
While the aesthetic lingers in lusciousness, under Scott Maidment’s creative direction, there is a nimble pace to things, thanks especially to seamless transitions between numbers courtesy of the swift-moving stage crew. The result is smooth and intoxicating mix of cabaret, circus and acrobatics that show the versatility, strength and skills of its cabaret and circus performers. Of particular note, Clara Fable seduces the audience with her blazing fire-eating antics, astounding us with her mastery of one of the most dangerous and potentially injurious of the circus arts. Spanish acrobat David Marco Pintado shows amazing strength and balance to not only walk along, but spin about, a slack wire, sometimes above audience heads. And, as he always does, Australian acrobatic dance sensation Hilton Denis shares some appealing tap dance routines, establishing himself as a cheekily charismatic early audience favourite. Along with stunning Bulgarian aerialist Maria Moncheva and French gravity-defying Chinese pole master Mikael Bres and UK’s rope genius Ben Loader, they offer us nothing but wonder in awe of their talent.
This is a slick and incredibly polished work, worthy of its international pedigree. The sophistication of its circus spectacle is kept cheeky through the antics of its dynamic musicians, led by composer and musician, NY’s Jank maestro Sxip Shirey, alongside maverick, multi-skilled musical artists Grant Aruth and Mick Stuart. The unique, vivid live music soundtrack immediately pumps us into its world, using unusual instrumentation (including even a marble in a glass bowl) to add interest, and underscore the anticipation and reward of each number in turn, enhancing their respective individual characters while also contributing cohesion to the whole of a show that comes without any narrative thread. And fabulous costumes, realised by Lucy Scott, work with Philip Gladwell’s stunning lighting (and set) design, to take us from a steampunk early aesthetic to an angelically white final gather of performers for our acclamation.
LIMBO – The Return is a non-stop spectacle of jaw-dropping performances, and with rope and balance acts performing around and even above the audience, pinpointing just one highlight becomes difficult for everybody in attendance. Thankfully, with a season already extended through to November, there is ample opportunity to come to this decision, or simply to share its lingering joy with others.