Review: Happy Endings at Perth Cultural Centre
Happy Endings at Lotterywest De Parel Spiegeltent @ Perth Cultural Centre
Friday, February 10, 2023
9/10
“My, Grandma, what talented performers you have.” “All the better to entice and delight you with.”
While most Perth punters are assumedly familiar with, if not saturated by the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, be it children’s stories, Grimm’s tales, Hollywood blockbusters, or maybe an occasional Angela Carter adaptation, there’s a version they are probably yet to experience. Tone & Cheek, the team behind Fringe staple Club D’amour, took audiences on an 18+ stroll through wolf-ridden forests and magical kingdoms in Happy Endings, an exhilarating, non-stop journey of aerials, dance, circus and sensational live music.
Happy Endings presents the story of Red, embodied by the sensational vocalist Amber Scates, who frees and befriends a wolf, charismatic drag performer Fay Rocious. As they journey through the woods to freedom, they encounter a variety of beloved fairytale characters, with their own new twists, surprises and talents. Rocious narrated the piece with fairytale puns and salacious storytelling, and performed several small dance numbers, however it would have been great to have seen her further integrated into some of the other pieces.
Opening to Scates’ hauntingly powerful voice, the stage came alive with all of the artists which immediately set the tone for a high-energy, tightly choreographed show, with well-timed and fast paced contemporary dance piece. Haydn Shadforth and Fay MacFarlane were next to take to the stage to deliver an exciting Hansel & Gretel-inspired circus routine.
Current MX Burlesque champion Matthew Pope dropped jaws with his aerial silk rendition of Jack and the Beanstalk, dominating the lumberjack aesthetic, while executing a stunning routine which showed absolute disdain for the laws of physics.
Melina Mall and Natalie Oakes (also the show’s choreographer) dominated the stage as two notorious evil queens, with Mall performing an impressive pole routine before Oakes captivated with a fire breathing act. There is no better way to summarise their routines than Rocious’ own description of “bad-ass b*tches”. Mall also captivated in a Rapunzel-themed lyra routine, demonstrating her incredible flexibility, while Oake’s aerial performance as Snow White was enthralling, and beautiful (joined midway by Mall).
Linton Elethios was captivating as the Prince Charming, particularly in his final routine, using a bungee-style suspension to run and bounce across the stage, puppet-like, and fly out across the audience in several heart-stopping moments.
A special commendation also goes out to the Beauty and the Beast-themed routine, which was breathtakingly beautiful, with Fay Macfarlane and Haydn Shadforth moving in sync with such palpable connection and emotion.
This is a non-exhaustive overview of the performances, as the show was literally jam-packed with aerial routines varying between straps, lyra, silks, hammocks and more novel apparatuses. In certain instances, the sheer saturation of aerial performances did threaten to detract from the individual significance of each performers’ incredible routines, however the pacing of the show with comedic and contemporary dance elements did ease these transitions, such as a hilarious tongue-in-cheek boylesque bear-themed routine.
As may be clear from the above, the cast of juggernaut performers moved quickly between acts and routines throughout the show, often taking to the stage to perform mere minutes after concluding a high energy aerial piece, or dance routine, to perform again without seeming to break a sweat. These performers are undoubtedly artists and athletes at the top of their game and deserve incredible respect for their levels of strength and physical fitness, in addition to their grace and skill. Oakes also deserves individual commendation for her sensational choreography which perfectly complimented the show’s aesthetic and theming.
Other commendations must go to the incredible costuming of the performers, none of whom performed in the same outfit twice, as well as the lighting team who created highly atmospheric moments with colour and smoke.
This spectacular array of the delicious and delightful was a delight to behold, and a titillating and entertaining way to enjoy a childhood classic. For anyone looking for spectacle this Fringe, with a dash of hilarious storytelling and a hint of incredible Perth talent, this is not a show to miss.
BEC WELDON