Blanc de Blanc Encore – REVIEW
Image: Remi Martin flies over the audience. Image - Facebook.
The unpretentious narrow walkway from the street to the courtyard gate of the newly refurbished Grand Electric Theatre belies the otherworldly joy inside. This historic industrial building has been transformed into a Berlin-style hidden cabaret club – dark, atmospheric and bristling with potential energy like a wound spring.
The Grand Electric is the realisation of a dream by Strut & Fret Creative Director, Scott Maidment. He renovated the former union house cum rustic theatre hall with bespoke design that specifically meets the needs of the circus/cabaret/comedy/variety styled entertainment presented by Strut & Fret.
The experience begins the minute you walk into the small, enclosed courtyard surrounded by uneven walls. Said walls have been painted with murals in the fashion of vintage posters, distressed to make them look authentic. Odd pieces of vintage and antique curiosities help reinforce the sense you have stepped through a time portal.
Inside, the theatre is dimly lit with a blue haze. At the back is a dual wooden staircase leading up to a balcony with plush leather sofas. At the front is the main stage and there is a small circular centre stage.
The seating comprises vintage wooden cabaret chairs with a handful of tables around the centre stage. The wood-panelled walls are lined with bevelled and neon framed-mirrors – it has a real Spiegeltent vibe.
For its grand opening, the Grand Electric chose the perfect show: Blanc de Blanc Encore. In a room that was already alive with wonder and expectation, this extraordinarily talented theatrical troupe managed to turn the dial up a few more notches.
They come from around the world but perform together with familial rapport.
Hilarious MCs, Felix Pouliot (Canada) and Remi Martin (France) are a classic vaudeville duo with pratfalls, visual gags, and cheeky banter, they are at once loveable and vulgar. Each is also a renowned Chinese Pole artist and they give us an impressive but all too brief example of their prowess.
Spencer Craig (Canada) and Caitlin Tomson-Moylon (USA) are experts on the suspended ring and they give a breath-taking aerial performance. Leah Wolff (Canada) evoked gasps from the audience as she swung and balanced on dual straps. There are two Australians in the cast: Rechelle Mansour whose pipes and personality invade every dark space in the room; and the singing, dancing, charismatic Melanie Hawkins.
It seems unfair to single out any one performance, but it’s pretty hard to give a slight edge to Emma Phillips whose unbelievable foot-juggling routine reduced the room to deadly silence followed by an eruption of roars and applause.
This is clever, raucous, vibrant, frenetic fun with near nudity and complete indulgence.
