CIRCA'S PEEPSHOW

If you're free between now and 18th August, then get your fine ass down to Underbelly Festival on the Southbank. Open until 30th September, Underbelly Festival has a jam packed itinerary of shows, comedy and music. I was kindly invited along to watch and write up the Circa's Peepshow, which I am unbelievably excited to share with you all.

Circa's Peepshow. It's all in the name. A circus themed event from an Australian touring group, so you naturally expect acrobatics, clowns and candy floss. However, in the name is also the word Peepshow, so you should definitely expect a twist, or ten.

Quite an unusual experience and me being third row from the front, Circa's Peepshow opens up with a mix of crazy young bats. With a constant drumming music to an electric and erotic version of Sweet Dreams, it's easy to see that the suspense will build from strength to strength - almost like an orgasm that explodes at the very end into something that makes us all scream, grimace and mouth O-M-G.

A human pyramid is built from humans until the very last person on top completes the pyramid and their head touches the tip of the tent. Blink and you'll miss it, but they all let go of each other and appear to be falling forwards. 150 gasps later from the audience, the performers turn the audience's expectations into several somersalts and land onto the stage floor like nothing happened.

Yes, you are to expect hula hooping - but what you don't expect, is a woman standing on a man's head whilst twisting three hula hoops on one foot; and all without holding on to anything.

Most girls love a man with a 6-pac, but what you will see during the middle of a show is a very, very toned man with what looks like bricks stuck to his stomach. My eyes widen and that is when I realise that those bricks are just very, very exaggerated abs and it soon becomes evident why. The unbelievable strength on this man will make every other man in the audience feel weak at the knees. Oh, and if you feel queasy at bodies that can bend into places you didn't know was possible, then this is your warning.

image via theatreweekly

A eerie and jolty sense of puppetry happens towards the end, using an invisible ball that the performers throw around the stage and into the audience. It's a chance for them to interact with the audience properly after a previous surprise with the audience that I won't DARE spoil for you.

A slightly more erotic side of things is briefly shown, with a glitter curtain for a background, metallic hot pants and long, silky gloves. You almost feel like you're about to watch a live adult show in Amsterdam. However, with the performers knowing that some viewers may be adults, this particular scene was performed in style with comedic attributes and a very cheeky surprise (mentioned above) that nobody in the audience could see coming.

There is no exact structure to Circa's Peepshow and is pretty much a jumble of different things, but it is definitely worth seeing with ticket prices starting at just £15.00 at London Box Office. It's a one of a kind, breath taking and unpredictable experience that you can only see in London until the 18th August.

Stop reading and go book a seat or regret it forever. 

Disclaimer: Complimentary tickets exchanged in return for an honest review on my blog. All words and opinions are my own.