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A CurtainUp London London Review
Briefs


Briefs
Performers in Briefs (Photo: Roy Tan)
Deep in the Spiegeltent of London's Wonderground on the Southbank something very raucous and naughty is going on. An award winning, all male troupe of Cirque du Soleil meets Madame Jojo performers have put together an extravaganza of epic camp proportions that will make you laugh and cringe in a wonderful and refreshing fashion. This multifaceted show is an amalgamation of sparkling acrobatics, musical interludes, comedy and performance art, all wrapped up in an ocean of glitter and steamy torso that impresses throughout.

From the offset our drag compere, Fez Faanana, makes it clear that the show may have some rather risque moments and the atmosphere in the audience is cleverly built up to an exciting level. Faanana instils the show with a perfect mix of comedy and professionalism, forever keeping the audience entertained between each sketch and act. From the first piece of acrobatic skill it is clear that we are dealing with very highly trained performers. From an external view one would be forgiven to think the overtly silly costumes and comedy would only lead to a ridiculously fun evening of jokes and camp double entendres. Yes there is plenty of both but don't be fooled - the physical prowess of the group is no joke and the audience was consistently in awe at the range of gymnastic talent on offer.

Indeed as in any circus or cabaret style show, some parts may not appeal to all. The more bizarre and intriguing drag performance art sections did at times risk deflating the vibe in the room but were still executed with commitment and energy. One other main criticism would be that although the enormous artistry of the acrobats cannot be put into question there perhaps could be more of a variety on offer in terms of how it was presented. That said, the evening's show stopper is may be the group's most extraordinary trouper, dressed up as an exotic bird with a plume of green feathers swinging from a large ring above an oversized bird bath. In this act we are presented with the most impressive skillset whilst the first few rows of the audience are soaked through to the delight of others.

This is a sexy show with six packs aplenty that seemingly aroused many whoops and sighs from an audience of merry mid week partygoers. The physical appeal of the cast is cleverly used to enlighten the crowd but one never feels done in too much a degrading way, which is testament to the overall creative direction. The comical timing of the ensemble is also one element that shouldn't be taken for granted and under the camp and frivolous skin of this production is a core of inestimable practice, dedication and hard work.

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Briefs - The Second Coming
Created and devised by Fex Faanana and others
Starring: Fez Faanana, Thom Worrell, Louis Biggs, Dallas Dellaforce, Mark Winmill, and Lacy Shelley
Running time: 75 minutes with no interval
Box Office: 0844 875 0073
Booking to 28th September 2014
Reviewed by Tim Sealey based on 2 nd September 2014 production at the London Wonderground, Southbank Centre, SE1 (London Rail/Tube: Waterloo)

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