GODZ | Head First Acrobats
Having an all-male cast of physically fit circus artists and calling your show GODZ could easily be the set-up of something quite cringy; but I was delighted to have that option cast aside from the moment the show began. Lights shone down on Apollo, Cupid, Dionysus, and Hercules, starting the show with some very skilled and very silly group acrobatics. The team of godly larrikins from Head First Acrobats then treated the audience to a fast-paced and hilarious hour of Greek mythology inspired hijinks where nothing was sacred.
Each acrobat had at least one excellent specialty/solo act, all of which were highly skilled and well executed. GODZ features chair stacking, hand-balancing, break dancing, trapeze, diablo, ladder balancing, straps, and acrobatics. It is difficult to choose a favourite, as none of the acts felt like fillers. Jordan’s god of wine diablo act was high energy and impressively fast-paced, my eyes could barely keep up with what I was seeing. Tom’s act that combined break dancing and trapeze was daring, and I was particularly impressed by a skill that saw Tom run and jump through the trapeze from the floor, do half a rotation and catch swinging by his ankles.
All images: Naomi Reed, Ultimate Imagery.
My personal highlights were Cal’s ladder balancing and Liam’s solo straps. Cal had such a strong connection with the audience (in this and every other scene he was a part of). Cheeky grins combined with slick execution and a familiar Disney soundtrack made for a crowd pleasing act. Liam’s yassified Zeus costume complete with beard and stripper heels was stunning, and his straps act even more so. The act was beautiful, with well-connected sequences, and made great use of the height of the venue.
The individual specialities are grand, but this group truly shines when they are all on stage together. There are a couple of comedic scenes in this show that are laugh-out-loud, hand-covering-mouth, completely and utterly ridiculous. Without too much in the way of spoilers, a scene in which the acrobats are nude save for several gold plates escalated so far beyond what I thought it would and kept me laughing the whole time. GODZ also treats the audience to Christian hell, with some very cheeky nun activity. When you’re watching the cast perform these comedic acts, they look like they are having a bloody great time, and going by the noisy crowd, so is everyone else in the room.
GODZ by Head First Acrobats is pure absurd escapism featuring highly skilled circus acts and self-aware charm. Catch it until 4 December as a part of the 2022 Wynnum Fringe Festival at The Vault.
