Review: Club D’Amour: Back Door at The Rechabite
Club D’Amour: Back Door at The Rechabite
Sunday, July 21, 2024
After sell-out shows across the country, Tone & Cheek’s return to The Rechabite with their award-winning performance, Club D’Amour: Back Door, is nothing short of spectacular. This limited-season show plunges the audience into the heart of a French brothel, offering an intimately immersive experience that teases and tantalises the senses.
Led by the captivating madam of the night, Fay Rocious, Club D’Amour: Back Door promises to liberate inhibitions and showcase Australia’s finest talents through a seamless blend of dance, burlesque, circus acts, and live vocals. The show’s narrative of love, lust, and desire is brought to life with a fervour that leaves audiences breathless and craving more.
Fay Rocious expertly guides the audience on a journey of seduction and laughter, delivered by a talented team of dancers, aerialists, and mesmerising live vocals. The choreography is a visual masterpiece, consistently keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, while the costumes strike a perfect balance between sexy and classy. Each moment is crafted to drop jaws and elicit gasps of awe.
The show features a variety of acts, including aerials, poles, and fire play, each screaming ‘pure seduction’. The group numbers are executed flawlessly, brimming with sex, sass, and perfectly balanced comedic timing, making every second on stage captivating.
Live vocals throughout the show enhance moments of intense emotion and sexuality and forge a deeper connection between the performers and the audience. This passionate and punchy vocal performance heightens the overall experience, making it unforgettable.
Natalie Oakes, who also serves as the show’s choreographer, dominated the stage with her fire-breathing act, so intensely hot that the flames’ heat was palpable even from the back of the room. Alfie D’Elia delivered pure sex appeal in their routines; their solo act costume was so fierce that even in stillness from the smoky shadows, it commanded attention. Matthew Pope defied the laws of physics with stunning routines that left the audience in utter disbelief.
The finale, “ultimate gay ending,” is a cheeky response to a previous critique from their Fringe run, which claimed the show was “more gay than they realised.” The response? An explosion of rhinestones, glitter, feathers, and a show-stopping number that left the audience in stitches while giving a standing ovation.
Club D’Amour: Back Door is a seductive and provocative performance that pushes the boundaries of burlesque and circus arts. It’s an unforgettable experience filled with unrivalled excitement, jaw-locking laughter, and a gloriously seductive showcase of talent.
LIANA KELLY