Cirque Bon Bon - Le Retour | JACs Entertainment
review, circus Ophelia Novak review, circus Ophelia Novak

Cirque Bon Bon - Le Retour | JACs Entertainment

There were so many excellent moments in Le Retour, but one special highlight for me was contortionist and foot archery artist, Shannen Michaela, who performed her spectacular and technical archery act. The crowd was blown away by the acts, how she was able to set the scene, with accompanying epic music, as well as her charisma and perfect execution.

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Limbo - The Return | Strut & Fret
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Limbo - The Return | Strut & Fret

Without spoiling too much, it was an enchanting blend of artistry, music, and acrobatics that was sensual, whimsical, intense, and dangerous. If you fancy a ride into a sinister and sexy circus netherworld that will leave your heart pounding, then ‘Limbo-The Return’ is the perfect show for you.

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Our hot picks for BrisFest 2024
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Our hot picks for BrisFest 2024

Spring is in the air and what does that mean for Magandjin / Meeanjin? It’s time for BrisFest! Running from 30 August to 21 September this year, we’re once again spoilt for choice with some epic offerings of theatre, circus, musicals, dance, cabaret, live music, installations and so much more. This is way too much goodness in the program for this year’s festival, so who better to turn to than the writers of NEHIB to let you know what you simply must see at BrisFest this year.

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Dangerous Goods | Polytoxic
review, cabaret Harmonie Downes review, cabaret Harmonie Downes

Dangerous Goods | Polytoxic

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. 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.

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Cirque Jingle | JACs Entertainment
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Cirque Jingle | JACs Entertainment

There are a lot of great choices for a festive-themed show this season, including shows that have returned for many years. It’s great to see that JACs Entertainment has produced a show that complements those choices, offering an event that is suitable for the whole family.

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Sleep and the City | Emma-June Curik
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Sleep and the City | Emma-June Curik

The performance was a thought-provoking experience that left me with a whirlwind of emotions. It combined the three things that tend to lead to the best original work‌: raw vulnerability, education on a misunderstood topic, and catharsis. This combination seemed to result in a unique sense of community and belonging that I hadn’t expected.

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Bumhole Brunch | Gogo Bumhole, Adrian te Veluwe and The Burrow
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Bumhole Brunch | Gogo Bumhole, Adrian te Veluwe and The Burrow

On the first Sunday morning of every month at The Burrow in West End rising drag star (or drag gremlin as they’d like to call themself) GoGo Bumhole brings the drag brunch back its underground, community roots. Backed by a cavalcade of Meanjin’s finest cabaret performers, it’s an infectious morning of drinks, feasting, entertainment and dare I say community that’s bound to become a sold-out staple for those in the know.

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Tipsy History | Glitter Martini & Anywhere Festival
review, circus Kristy Stanfield review, circus Kristy Stanfield

Tipsy History | Glitter Martini & Anywhere Festival

One thing I love about the Glitter Martini shows I’ve seen is they’re always audience participation heavy, which is great to keep the crowd entertained at changeovers between the acts. A particular crowd favourite this time was a modern spin on an Ancient Greek drinking game, which everyone got right into, and it really brought out their competitiveness. These interactive segments made the show intimate and that little more special and memorable for everyone.

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The Wharf Revue: Looking for Albanese | Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott
review, cabaret Harmonie Downes review, cabaret Harmonie Downes

The Wharf Revue: Looking for Albanese | Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott

The Wharf Revue is an irreverent adventure combining popular culture, cabaret and politics cleverly executed just as much as Scomo ruled the nation singlehandedly and got away with it till he didn’t. This show is just as ambitious as Clive Palmer spending $123 million to win one seat to open another iron ore mine. With such a huge field of contenders to choose from, this show delivers one punch line after the other, meticulously crafted to squeeze out every climate denying, debt defying, corrupted and lying gag possible.

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Blush | Highwire Entertainment
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Blush | Highwire Entertainment

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.

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The Great Gatsby: An Immersive Theatrical Production | Viral Ventures 
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The Great Gatsby: An Immersive Theatrical Production | Viral Ventures 

After a brief introduction to the show’s format by Robuck, the audience is dropped into the world of the novel, all being given the role of the narrator Nick Carroway. Throughout the show the rest of the cast intermittently interacts with each of us as Nick, which seemed to really resonate with a number of punters. Many were all smiles and giggles when they were referred to directly or invited to partake in a small part of a scene.

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"It’s been (another) difficult year, and we all deserve a Happy Hour." Darcie Rae on the escapist joy of Glitter Martini's latest show
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"It’s been (another) difficult year, and we all deserve a Happy Hour." Darcie Rae on the escapist joy of Glitter Martini's latest show

I have spent a fair bit of time thinking about capital A “Art” over the last couple of years, and the line between art and entertainment. I’ve landed on joy as being a perfectly acceptable reason for something to exist, and this show is a celebration of that. Also all the acts are themed around happy hour beverages.

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The Sunny Tribe District | Robert the Cat
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The Sunny Tribe District | Robert the Cat

The cast were tight knit; not a move or beat out of place in delivering this chaotic script. Each member of the cast effortlessly carried the weight of the responsibility placed on the ensemble. From the Olivia Rodrigo sing-along, to the synchronised, lavish dance sequences to the perky rap battles to the overly sexual demonstration of how to pour water over each other, everything that they threw at us no matter how absurd or obscene was executed to glorious effect.

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Briefs: The Classics | Briefs Factory
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Briefs: The Classics | Briefs Factory

As a shameless Briefs groupie, I’d seen all the acts before, but that didn’t matter in the slightest. All the performers know how to work the crowd and respond to the audience’s energy, camping up acts and whipping us into a frenzied applause at the drop of a hat. And of course, Shivannah kept the show moving at a high pace with her winning commentary and stunning outfits sourced from op shops around the world.

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Club Culture Cabaret | Briefs Factory
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Club Culture Cabaret | Briefs Factory

At night, the Brisbane Powerhouse is a towering structure. When awash in a coloured glow, the industrial legacies of its brick exterior are exposed and amplified. Standing tall, it looms above the heads of those swallowed by its glass doors. Yet on Sunday night, with Fez Fa’anana (as Shivannah) sauntering amongst arriving audiences and flashing smiles over diamantéd shoulders, the building had never felt so warm.

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