A Russian winter might seem less than inviting, yet there is something comforting about sitting among snowflakes and stalactites on a cold July evening. With a glass of warm mulled vodka and an offering of sizzling entertainment, the dismal weather outside is easily forgettable.
Ridiculous though they look with their oversized ushankas, even the waiters seem to revel in the festivity of the glittering wonderland. Weaving about the diners, they happily accommodate every request: from an extra tipple to the occasional happy-snap.
Just as the last dregs of mulled vodka are supped, two figures emerge from within a bloom of fog: a frail babushka and her clown friend. They made their way towards the stage, from where they declared the beginning of El’ Circo Blanc’s third Sydney season. Considering the nature of the performance, this opening is surprisingly lacklustre. Yet, just like the plate of Ukha soup, blinis and caviar that quickly appear before each diner, the introductory song and dance routine is merely an appetiser.
The stories of the babushka-cum-hostess (Alicia Quinn) unfold with performances from the talented cast and gastronomic delights from the kitchen. Pole dance is paired with pine mushroom Golabki, double lyra (Missy) with lamb goulash and contortion (Zebastian Hunter) with Korzinochki and eggnog.
For those sitting close enough, it is a truly immersive experience. Interactions with Mr Gorsky the clown are coulrophobia-inducing; Lauren Kyle’s aerial silks flicks the tip of noses, and Petr Pavlov dances with temptation and desire.
It is a depressing sign of the modern age when as many audience members are captured in stunned silence as they are rudely glued to iPhone screens. In an attempt to permanently capture the moment, the nuance of live performance goes unnoticed. And, as a result, it is necessary for waiters to applaud overzealously just to encourage the audience to follow suit.
However, not even the spectacular multisensory assault can pardon the cringeworthy narrative and dialogue. It serves its purpose as a means to join each course and skit, but just like the gaudy set design (a snow-scape fashioned from foam), it plagues an otherwise sophisticated performance. Perhaps a vignette of standalone acts would prove more effective.
Gasps of wonderment are unavoidable as the show concludes: the finale is hair-raising and the room finally succumbs to the magic of winter. In the most bizarre artistic decision, Buranovskiye Babushki’s Party for Everybody (made famous in 2012 at the Eurovision Song Contest) brings the evening to a close. In many ways though, the lyrics of this tawdry tune encapsulate El Circo Blanc: perfectly uncomplicated entertainment.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
El’ Circo Blanc
Directed by James Taylor
Performed by Alicia Quinn, Mr Gorsky, Petr Pavlov, Lauren Kyle, Missy, Zebastian Hunter
Slide Cabaret Lounge, Oxford St, Darlinghurst
www.slide.com.au/elcirco
18 June – 30 July
