Fringe World enters Primal territory with new circus and cabaret show

The creative team behind the Fringe smash-hit show Rouge has announced that its new production, Primal, is set to hit Fringe World 2026. Described as a thrilling, sexy, and cheeky circus experience, Primal is designed exclusively for adults and is inspired by the animal kingdom, promising a spectacle of breathtaking acrobatics, dazzling cabaret, and dance. The show hits Heath Ledger Theatre at the State Theatre Centre of WA and runs from Thursday, January 22, to Sunday, February 1, 2026, with tickets on sale now. JAMES THORN sat down with Primal Director Elena Kirschbaum to learn more about the exclusive circus and cabaret show, the talented new cast, and how the show plays with elements of the animal kingdom. 

It’s great to have you back on our stages for Fringe World this summer! What inspired you to combine the animal kingdom with human relationships for this show’s theme?

To me, Primal had that infamous ‘second album’ feel following on from Rouge. Even though I’ve made plenty of shows, Rouge was so successful, and it held a special place in people’s hearts. I knew that it was going to be challenging to make a show that was similar but different, that had things that people knew and loved about Rouge but had its own clear identity. To avoid falling into the trap of making something that was too much of the same thing, I wanted a provocation in the creative process that steered it in a direction that was a bit different, and the animal kingdom felt like a playful way to do that.

Audiences may have caught your previous production, Rouge. What’s one thing you’re doing differently for Primal, and what’s one thing that hasn’t changed?

I think there are two major elements that will jump out as being different in Primal. There is a lot more dance in this one, as we have the benefit of having an ensemble of acrobats who are also trained dancers, so there are really fun choreographed routines throughout the show, as well as all the acrobatics and everything else.

The other element is that the show really highlights and champions strong women. We have two female acrobatic strongwomen. They do the lifting, and the men do the flying. It’s great to have that gender swap of men doing routines that are beautiful, whimsical and poetic, and women being so strong and powerful. It’s such a talented cast, so it’s great to highlight different things.

I think the thing that hasn’t changed is the ethos and the core values of our company. We like making work that is joyful, fun, kind and inclusive. That is skilful and spectacular and beautiful, but that also has a lot of heart. I think that is a big part of what made Rouge feel different from other shows in a similar genre, and I think we have that in spades in Primal too.

What was it like working with an all-new cast? What do they bring to the show?

It’s wonderful to have a new cast for the show. New people bring different skills, different energy and a new dynamic to the stage. I love working with creative people, and so while I might have a vision for the show, so much of the show comes from them—their skills, their ideas, their personalities. This show is really about exploring identity and how the world sees us, so celebrating the uniqueness of the artists was so important for that.

What animals did you draw the most inspiration from? What were the most challenging, and what were the most fun to bring to the stage?

Every time we’ve played with the inspiration of animals, it has been a blast. The most challenging element was how to blend elements of the animal kingdom without acting like animals, which isn’t what we wanted. We wanted acts to have hints at creatures we were inspired by, without crawling around on the floor. The most fun is our feather dance act, which was inspired by flamingos. Our talented choreographer Kat watched hours of videos of flamingos moving around, doing mating dances, and interacting with each other and the world around them, and then turned that into a Fosse-inspired ensemble fan dance.

How has the audience reception of it been? What have people been enjoying about the show?

We’ve had an amazing reaction so far, with multiple five-star reviews and brilliant responses from audiences. I think people love how joyful the show is, that it’s a big fun party, while still offering spectacle and wow moments. Leather Lungs, our singer, is such a star. His vocal range and ability to capture different styles of music are really exceptional. If you’ve never heard him sing before, then it’s great to have such a powerful surprise in the show, because he is vocally just so stunning. A lot of people are really taken with the strong women in the show, and what a celebration that is. And I think people enjoy the quirkiness and playfulness of the show. These seem to be the things that really leap out and stick with people afterwards.

Which animal do you think would make the best Fringe performer, and why?

A peacock is such a showoff and so beautiful. They’d make a great burlesque artist. Maybe a cockatoo, since they are absolute clowns? A squirrel is a perfect trapeze artist. And a husky is a beautiful crooner. Most animals have a bit of a dramatic flair about them from time to time—I think that’s what has been so fun about making this show!

Primal hits Fringe World at Heath Ledger Theatre at the State Theatre Centre of WA from Thursday, January 22, to Sunday, February 1, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au