Dangerous Goods | Polytoxic
All images: Jade Ellis
If you want to see a subversively hot, femme-fuelled show full of hot babes smashing the patriarchy, go see Dangerous Goods at QPAC. It’s one of the best shows I have seen. The other thing which is equally great is seeing QPAC commission this new work by Polytoxic, consisting of numerous talented circus peeps and mega artists who all deserve to be world famous! Bonus is, there'll be various guest artists throughout this season so no two shows will be the same. You’ve got another three weeks to see this unmissable show.
I could easily see Dangerous again for the spellbinding artistry, whether that be physical theatre, aerials, a variety of racy burlesque routines dialled to 11, great songs, next level comedy, gender themes, commentary on ageism and beauty standards, mash-ups of archetypal personas and a healthy dose of cultural tradie-ism (new concept, tradie and activism combined). If you have seen their previous show Demolition and loved it, then you will most definitely enjoy this new offering. It’s got a great mix of paradigm shifting weaved throughout the numerous acts that take you on a riveting journey and never lets go.
So, as you’d expect on a construction site, the stage is set with a few wooden boxes and a box like entrance with neon lighting framing the entrance with the words Dangerous Goods illuminated. I love this entrance, you can never guess what’s coming next, it added a tinge of excitement every time it opened and more excitement with what followed.
All images: Jade Ellis
Lights off and the exciting door opens, Set the Night on Fire (The Doors) backs the entrance of the performers and who stream onto the stage dancing dressed in Hi Vis which looks stunning lit up by the black light and their synchronised movements. I’m vibing very much with a tank girl meets party disco vibe of lip-syncing divas who end up stripping off their tradie attire burlesque style, notably ending with a sign on the back on one performer which says HOT!
To explain how good all these acts are would be a 10-page diatribe, so I will only cover a selection in this review. I’d like to mention that I loved the missives on sexuality, identity, consent, non-conformity, First Nations sovereignty and climate change. It was so good. Really you can’t fault this show.
Kalala Sione rolls out a box “Is anyone going to sign?” while Britney Spear’s Toxic reworked as banging heavy electro version plays. Out pokes a sock puppet who delivers a monologue on toxicity, climate change and destruction. The sock puppet disappears and black leather legs and heals come out to fully reveal a latex clad femme fatale whose act ends in a contaminant breach.
Another archetype gets ripped apart in an act that I loved the narrative of. It starts with Polly dolly meets Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’, with images of Polynesian Barbie projected on the exciting doors. They shoot the plastic barbie and out comes what I can only describe as two warrior cowboys who do a striptease with guns and lays. Then the chaps come off and some booty shaking and whip cracking routine follows that ends with decapitating barbie’s head to the words “I am 100%”.
An MC says what we’re all thinking, “Who doesn't like chicks with whips smashing the patriarchy?”
All images: Jade Ellis
To turn down the voltage, reset and move into live music, First Nations singer, Rita, debuts her Single, which is full flavoured with lots of R&B, Soul and Pop. The song’s themes are about love and how love is radiated outwards. You could say radiation plays in softly with the show’s themes. Rita is one of the special guests for this season and she delivers a solid performance.
To continue with the music, Kalala Sione asks the audience to “Help me make me the most of freedom” and delivers a standout performance of “Everyone wants to rule the world” backed by two aerialists using roped ladders. This was a very immersive piece including a poem about connecting to mother nature, which in some ways is a parallel to the desire for pleasure. It evoked a very powerful testament to hedonism and the antithesis of mother nature in our capitalist quest to come out on top.
The next song is led by Lisa Fa’alafi wearing a fiery red dress bringing up the vibe with hip hop and a rap on colonisation and its façade. “You can't colonise me, your words mean shit to me” delivered with a plea to stop taking indigenous land followed by striptease and the chant of “Rise Up" complete with LED twirling. Wow!
To end the evening, the MC says, “The revolution can't happen without you!” And they get the whole audience dancing around the stage and in their seats. My friend says to me “This is the best show I have ever seen!”. I agree.
Dangerous Goods by Polytoxic plays at QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre until 4 February 2024.
