Melbourne Reviews

Crème de la Crème is the late-night variety show from Head First Acrobats who also perform GODZ in the same tent, earlier in the night. No rest for the wicked – these four people must be some of the hardest-working artists at the Melbourne Fringe.

Crème de la Crème has been doing the festival rounds and picks up different acts every time it performs in a new place. So its success really depends on what content is on offer at the time.

In the first weekend, despite a less-than-capacity crowd on the Saturday night, emcee/host/all-around wacky guy Cal Harris lubricated everyone up with his off-the-cuff introductions and intentionally bad stand up. He procured a few freaky tricks of his own (balloon animals and COVID tests will never be the same again), proving he will do a lot for a laugh, no matter how gross.

Besides Harris, the other Head First Acrobats contributed individual acts including Liam Dummer’s gender fluid aerial routine that was most notable for teeth/mouth balancing from the rig and an incredibly fluid near-nude body slinking around in ever-so-high heels. Thomas Gorham’s Mr Finale Man (complete with silly European accent) strung together breakdancing, hand balancing and naked acrobatics with good skills in a somewhat loose act that would get more bang for buck with tighter structure.

Jordan Twartz is everything diablo (spinning top on a rope) and he has a solid, fast-paced routine manipulating the circus apparatus in surprisingly difficult and funky ways.

Alanah Hill’s cute hula routine harboured a few dazzler tricks within a coquettish, wink-wink styling. A hard and fast aerial hoop number from Jessica Robbins (who also performed in Matador straight before this appearance) was steely and skillful within a singular dynamic.

Rounding it out was an appearance from comic/clown Garry Starr doing a bit from his own comedy show which crams all of Greek mythology into an hour. Running around topless in a white tennis skirt, Shakespearean collar and a huge frizz of hair, Starr did a verbal back and forth with a very-compliant audience member and demonstrated professional level abilities in catching flying lollies, but the segment felt out of place in an acro-extravaganza.

While the individual talents of each performer shone, this particular night of Crème de la Crème remained bitsy, rather than a whole package. Somewhat racy, but nothing beyond what we expect from adult-only circus. It probably was the proverbial second night slump and now, later in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, has ratcheted up to heights worthy of its name.