Phat Cab Club @ The Big Top
Friday, January 31, 2020
Phat Cab Club, founded by siblings Joe and Anna Fisher, is a group of young adults under the age of 25 who have travelled their contemporary circus cabaret all over Australia, returning to Perth after taking the title of ‘Best Circus’ at FRINGE WORLD 2019.
Phat Cab Club took place in the Big Top at the Pleasure Garden – and there could not have been a better venue for this particular show. The Big Top is equipped with a high ceiling and plenty of room to both cater for the performers’ mesmerising acts, as well as accommodate a large audience.
MC for the night Rhys Davies was a crowd-pleaser. There is no doubt that other shows will be fighting hard to have him host for them after this Fringe season. Davies was completely at home working the crowd, performing a number of his own impressive stunts and could probably have kept everyone in stitches for the entire 50 minutes in a stand-alone show. When an MC is THAT good, the show is bound to be an absolute game-changer… and it was.
Anna Fisher, Joe Fisher, Odette Robbins, Emily Chilvers, Antonia Sassine, Jordan Twartz and Mark Longo are a dream team. Each brought their own specialised skill to the act and were proficient in every area of gymnastics, circus and dance. There was not a single weak link in this chain, and their chemistry as a group is undeniable – it was quite obvious that on top of performing together, they are great friends. From juggling an inordinate number of objects to death-defying stunts from ropes and silks, this show packs a punch like no other.
The show as a whole was overwhelmingly impressive and magnetic, but there were some specific highlights. One was Anna Fisher, who is not only a phenomenal gymnast and hula-hooper, but also had the audience hooked from the second she stepped on stage in a fiery-red ensemble. Her routine was impeccable and she didn’t miss a single beat.
Another highlight was Emily Chilvers, who is Australia’s equivalent of Wonder Woman. After taking to the stage and scaling a rope in five to ten seconds like it was nothing at all, she performed stunts in mid-air with unbelievable grace and strength.
The performers were personable, extremely talented and worked together like a well-oiled machine. This team could quite comfortably hold a regular spot performing professionally in Vegas to sell-out audiences one day. Get a ticket to Phat Cab Club and you’ll get to say you saw them just before they took over the world. A true knockout.
SAMANTHA FERGUSON
