On one of the hottest days Sydney has ever seen, we gave up on trying to get cool and decided instead to turn the heat up a notch at Spiegelworld’s sexy EMPIRE show.
A bit like Cirque du Soleil’s naughty little sister, this acrobatic theatre performance had us gasping, giggling, and gagging for more. It is an electrifying fuse of cabaret, circus, and burlesque acts that has come to Australia direct from a sell-out season on Broadway, New York.
As we entered the Spiegeltent we knew we were in for something special. Think handcrafted interiors, carved wood, bevelled mirror walls, and stained glass windows. It is opulence gone mad and we, naturally, loved it. As impressive as the tent was, it was the contortionists and acrobatics that really made this a night to remember.
To kick things off the Girl in the Bubble Elena Lev-Bakkar performed a spellbinding routine inside a giant, you guessed it, bubble. Later she graced the stage again with a hula-hoop routine so dazzling it left our abs aching in sympathy.
After the show we found out she’s in her 30s and a mother… impressed is an understatement.
The finale act by Stick Guy was another highlight. This guy showed off the sort of balancing skills and concentration that puts all you yoga bunnies to shame – we dare say every member in the audience was holding their breath in nervous anticipation.
But the absolute stand out in our eyes came from Ethiopian duo Tariku Fufa and Yonas Teka who perform as Black Flinstone and Big Mac Boy. Their high-speed flips really have to be seen to be believed – let’s just say it’s pretty rare we see something so impressive that we forget to Instagram it but that was certainly the case during this act.
Whether you’re looking for a kid-free night out with your partner or an excuse to get together with your best friends, we can’t recommend this show enough. Words of warning –if you don’t like getting involved in the show, or you hate bananas (you’ll see…) avoid the front two rows!
EMPIRE is touring Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. For more information and to purchase tickets check out www.empireaustralia.com
