Blush | Highwire Entertainment

Roll up, roll up, the circus is back in town baby! 

Don't worry, this isn't your childhood circus full of naff clowns and acts for children. This show's strictly for the over 18s and it's guaranteed to surprise and entertain and leave you gagging for more. 

All images: Darren Thomas

Blush by Highwire Entertainment, is one of the first shows to hit Meanjin for 2023, settling into QPAC's Cremorne Theatre for a grand six week run. And it's the perfect treat for audiences who are looking for breathtaking acts, gorgeous performers and a whole lot of laughs to help you ease your way into the year after the holiday season.

Blush knows exactly what it is - a first class circus & burlesque cabaret that's unapologetically fun, sexy, and just the right amount of stupid. On top of the quality of the acts, what makes it stand out is that it unabashedly and ecstatically celebrates diverse sexualities and relationships and feminine sexuality without being preachy, all mixed with a whole lot of laughs.

All images: Darren Thomas

This isn't one of the typical cabarets that tries to sell sexy as performers brushing past each other, femme figures as objects and same-sex desire as queer baiting. Blush makes the titillation of such shows seem like childhood flights of fancy. There is something truly for everyone here, with each performance celebrating love, lust, passion and desire in various forms - straight, queer, kink, bdsm, self-exploration, adoration, and even vegetables, inanimate objects and mythical beasts. All performed with passion, connection, fun and intimacy. It’s a gloriously fun sex positive circus celebration. 

Blush avoids the faff that fills a lot of circus cabarets these days. Six highly skilled performers didn't leave us stuck with endless padding by MCs, but rather provided two hours chock full of high quality circus acts that just flew by. Trust me, you'll have barely caught your breath after each act before the next one leaves you gasping all over again. 

The range and quality of the acts in Blush blew me away. Each one brought a sexy spin to apparatuses and circus acts I don't often get to see in cabarets or brought new twists to the popular acts you often see. On top of that, the cast exuded great chemistry throughout. So much so that I was surprised to learn that many of the performers are newish additions to the show or returning after a long absence.  And it's all backed by a banging pop soundtrack and live vocals from cast member Christine Ibrahim.

Without giving away too many spoilers, there were many highlights that I would have loved to see again. Jessie McKidin impressed on dance trapeze act in the first half, with a fluid and completely effortless act. She almost floated around the bar in such a way that few in the audience would have realised how technically difficult the routine was. She also gave us a gorgeous, flirty dance on the roue Cyr with Lyndon Johnson. 

All images: Darren Thomas

Paul Westbrook and Johnson's aggressive and passionate duo straps act wouldn't have been out of place at Fulsom or a late night German industrial warehouse (or dungeon) party in all the best ways. Johnson and Chris Carlos's duo and trio acro with Sophie Secombe incorporated one of my favourite circus skills, 'toss', with the breathtaking skills on display surely honed by their time with Gravity and Other Myths. Secombe's gymnastic prowess and fearless flips and vaults throughout made us gasp on multiple occasions. And last but by no means least, Carlos and Ibrahim brought us a mesmorising shibari routine that made many in the room want to be tied up and worshipped themselves. 

 While there were a number of standout acts, each member of the cast brought something special to the Blush.  Westbrook played an MC of sorts and was all-around magnetic show-pony, geeing up the audience before the show began and then bringing all the sass and the laughs with burlesque, clown and dance numbers throughout. McKibbon brought exquisite movement quality and grace to some of her acts and then backed that up with others full of fierceness and silliness. Johnson should be named MVP of the show, for basing much of the duo and trio acrobatic acts and his partner work with other performers. 

Carlos brought the strength along with Johnson, as well as acts rarely seen, including fire staff twirling and shibari.Secombe fearlessly played flyer, showcasing amazing balance and control in her partner acro routines and a gorgeous handstand routine on canes that celebrated women's power and community. And on top of singing a range of styles in multiple angles, Ibrahim showed why she's known as the Cirque Songstress by singing while performing on a number of apparatuses and mixing it with the rest of the performances in a number of acts.

All images: Darren Thomas

Finally, props to QPAC for continuing their trend of starting the year with a damn good cabaret in the Cremorne.  With so few medium sized venues with tiered seating and good rigging points, it's the perfect venue to cater for cabaret and circus shows. Particualrly as the staging and seating design help the punters will feel like they’re a part of the action. While some reviewers might think that QPAC should only showcase high art, it's so nice to see circus, burlesque and cabaret embraced by our most famous arts venue. I'd like to think of the Cremorne at this time of the year as our own, less grimey version of the Kit Kat Club. Here's to a long future of camp cabaret in the cultural centre!

With Blush, Highwire Entertainment shows that they are an Aussie production house on the rise, with the chops to compete with the big production companies in the field. Blush is guaranteed to make you do just that, both from the sexy, silly and seductive acts and the sheer skill of the cast. The perfect antidote to having to return to the real world at this time of year. Highly recommended.

Blush runs in QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre until 12 February 2023. Tickets are available at qpac.com.au or phone 136 246.