REVIEW: Kym Vaitiekus shares his thoughts on LIMBO THE RETURN

Thursday June 30th 7:30pm, 2024  The Grand Electric

LIMBO THE RETURN, as its namesake, is here to once again wow you with another circus cabaret. This is an accomplished show that combines circus/acrobatics with the eclectic music of a passionate band, all led by with Director Scott Maidment’s artistic vision.

Prepare yourself for an engrossing, entertaining and extraordinary night of physical expertise, musical excellence in an electric, evocative cabaret format.

Beautifully set in the art deco of The Grand Electric, LIMBO THE RETURN presents these multi-talented artists in a mise on scene that is a fusion of a 1920’s speakeasy with neo punk attire, (well lack of attire). We enter the auditorium with gold gilt architecture that adores the velvet green walls, all this is set off kilter with an industrial soundscape that creates of a sense of intrigue.

The night opens with a tableau of the performers on the rear stage. With the band’s infectious beat the opening musical number unfolds. 

One by one the performers strut the stage while posing a variety of expressions.

Band Leader and composer Sxip Shirey engages the audience with his astounding voice expulsions. He creates another soundscape that extraordinarily comes from his own vocal cords.

The evening continues with a vast variety of inspired physical feats.

Ben Loader’s amazing rope routine is slick and stylish.

Hilton Denis’ expert tap routine is superb. His audience participation sequence has sections of the crowd expressing their assigned vocal exclamations. This is as thoroughly as entertaining as Denis’ enthusiasm.

The troupe, next do a unique twist on the strip tease. A contemporary way to be innocently tantalising.

Mikael Bres’s pole routine is extraordinary.

David Marco Pintado’s hanging tightrope has you on the edge of your seat.

Maria Moncheva’s chain routine is an impressive twist on the hanging fabric acrobatics. It allows her to create new moves and add new accents to the usual poses and physical movements.

There is the proscenium stage with an extension walkway into the audience. We sit on crammed together chairs, all with a perfect view as the performance is above our eye height. Our closeness to the elevated stage increases the sense of danger. Which is most pronounced with the heat emigrating in Clara Fable’s exciting fire routine. With some new tools and moves this is an impressive number.

Maidment has a deft hand at bringing the many elements of this show together in a jam-packed night of masterful skills. A truly impressive night. Some moments didn’t quite land for me. When the cast strut the stage in the intro their poses created more a sense of curiosity of what is the moment’s intent rather than an air of mystic. The audience participation in the tap routine was such fun but I was expecting a punchline to the sounds that the various sections of the audience was making.

Another rope routine has the performers feed the rope into the audience. A sequence with an off-kilter slant that doesn’t quite land or that has an apparent intent.  As the troupe execute this routine, I wondered why.

The piece de resistance is the angelic work of Pintado, Arthur and Moncheva. This performance is a divine concept, that combines their acrobatic skills, audience participation, and an artistic vision with a sense of awe. This sequence is worth the price of admission alone. A ballet of heavenly acrobatics.

The night concludes with a bookend musical number “Who do you love”. A heart pounding song, that ends the evening, accenting the exceptional talents of these physical performers and their superb band.

Catch this show for entertaining night out that you do not want to miss.

Photography @ Damien Bredburg

https://strutnfret.com/grand-electric/

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