7 Mortal Sins | Glitter Martini
On a drizzly Saturday night, I found myself in a stunning church with steep gabled roof, stained glass windows and brickwork that is 119 years old, celebrating what it is to be mortal. And what better way to do it, than with an Atonement for our sins, Glitter Martini style? I’m talking a freestanding aerial rig center stage. Circus, burlesque, sideshow, and even a little magic. And seven sinfully good acts, administered by one very captivating master of Ceremonies, Priest Benedict.
Full of brilliant one liners, the Priest played by Trent Charles, brought a nice continuity to the show with just the right amount of cheeky irreverence, and a refreshing candour that was ultimately quite beautiful and sage. He also showed impressive emotional intelligence in his improvised interactions with the audience. There was a greater message to everything in this production, and it was especially apparent in the Priest’s narrative.
Act One: Envy. The Priest gave us a fascinating sermon on the two types of envy, benign and malicious. Darci Rae and Tiana Pinnell entered in forest green, an aerialist and a dancer. They started in their trained disciplines, but in an example of their versatility, soon the two performers swapped places and skills, again and again. There was a sophisticated circular motif to this whole act, ranging from these changes, through to the contemporary nature of the dance, all the way to the aerial ring spinning. It was especially beautiful when they first touched and recoiled, before finding a way to balance on the aerial ring together in harmony, without touching.
Act Two: Greed. The Priest gave us a stirring sermon on Avarice, in relation to the huge disparity between men and women’s pay, even today, in what we call modern and civilized society. Abbii Allora hit the stage, wielding two fluorescent LED hula hoops and a whole lot of heart. Starting with a simple repertoire of tricks in sizzling poses, this is one lady that knows how to build tension. Her style is also an ode to traditional circus acts that get bigger and better as they go on. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, she split a rainbow of hoops so numerous I couldn’t even count them. Allora also scores extra points for hooping in playful places, like around the bun in her hair.
Act Three: Wrath. The Priest gave us a wise sermon on the crippling nature of anger. Rachael Ray rose to the occasion, appearing on the stage rigged with aerial silks drenched in a deep red, that matched her costume. This piece was dramatic, sharp, and percussive, with the smooth transitions and sheer entertainment almost masking the number and complexity of the tricks in her routine. I love a good entrance, and Ray’s initial knee climb into splits was and slick and steamy, setting the tone for the rest of her performance.
Act Four: Pride. The Priest gave us a moving sermon on acceptance, drawing our attention to the policy of the church we were in, to welcome those from all walks of life including the LGBTQI+ community. Rachael Armstrong arrived in the cathartic strains of the song Take Me to Church by Hozier. Inverting onto her hands and balancing, she shifted one leg strategically and her skirt fell on one side to reveal rainbow underwear, at the same time as the word “Amen” was being sung. She shifted to the other leg as the word was repeated in the song, before hitting the splits revealing her underwear completely, just as the music soared for the chorus and the audience cheered. It was the closest thing I’ve had to a religious experience in a little while. By the end of her piece, she had removed her whole dress to reveal nothing but a stripy rainbow bodysuit, and a beaming smile. Armstrong is an exciting, graceful, joyous performer, and was my favourite act of the night.
Act Five: Sloth. The Priest took us through the basics of communion and enabled a fun food fight by leading us to a paper bag underneath our seats with a piece of stale bread in it. In strange juxtaposition, classy jazz music swelled as Tiana Pinnell joined us again, this time for a stunning burlesque routine. Divine in white underwear and silver top complete with tassels, glitter and larger than life feather fans. Pinnell is an amazing dancer, and I really enjoyed the playful humour she slipped in along the way. Even so, this was a strong classic piece until the very end, when she added some very powerful and in theme subversion.
Act Six: Gluttony. The priest gave us a sermon on pulling a sneaky Jesus, in this case, using magic to literally turn water into wine before our very eyes. Darcie Rae returned to the stage with her incredible drunk trapeze routine. She used the splits and one if not two flexed feet to hold herself up and embody drunkenness. Working legs first she climbed the ropes of trapeze, maneuvered into balances, and even started to spin. All of this whilst attempting to undress, only to end up with clothes half on or hanging off different body parts and ending with only one shoe. I am always astonished when a clever comedic aerials piece, has such a high level of skill.
Act Seven: Lust. The Priest gives us a simple sermon on consent as the key to avoiding sins of the flesh. The final performer for the evening, Miss Bubbles, enters in raunchy black rubber, and a bubblegum pink wig. Starting with huge iridescent bubbles, she took us through numerous different types and the paraphernalia used to create them. From different sized blowers including a straw, a pump, and even a triangular type of knot she created from rope (shibari). People were struck with awe watching her. This act finished with a risqué audience participation element, which was very popular with the audience. It was such a novel piece and a wild way to finish this amazing event.
Director Darcie Rae has created a clever adults only show that is a fresh offering on the trope of the seven deadly sins, whilst simultaneously bringing a deeper layer of meaning, potentially on slow burn. It’s not surprising, as a performer she oozes sophistication. In fact, every single one of the performers in this show were extraordinary in their own right.
