Space Theatre June 23 to 26
Smoke & Mirrors is the highly anticipated new show from the producers of La Clique. Born from the theatrical genius of director Craig Ilott and acclaimed singer/actor iota, in conjunction with the Sydney Festival, this latest progeny is as entertaining and polished as we have come to expect.
Decidedly darker and more strange than it’s sibling, it is no less visually spectacular. The quality of the lighting, sound and set were impressive; the production team are to be commended for so successfully achieving the surreal and hallucinatory ambiance.
Packing in an impressive line-up of performers, the programme included acts from an in-form Todd McKenney as the Vaudevillian and Queenie Van De Zandt as a bearded lady. Fresh off the back of presenting her own show at the Festival, she wowed with a breath-taking second-half song, mesmerising the crowd with her flawless performance.
The enigmatic iOTA is perfect as ringmaster, songwriter and front man for the Smoke & Mirrors band. Brilliant in both vocals and theatrics, it is easy to see what gained him the 2007 Helpmann Award for ‘Best Male Actor In A Musical’ over Hugh Jackman. Throughout the show the band serve up an awesome soundtrack of sexy gothic rock, opening the second half with a rousing and bawdy crowd sing-along that had everyone joining in between laughs.
Rounding out the bill were Timothy Woon, providing fire-breathing and magic, the ThisSideUp acrobatic trio of James Brown, Casey Douglas and Christian Schooneveldt-Reid, displaying their flexibility, balance and brute strength, and trapeze artist Chelsea McGuffin. McGuffin presents her own swinging set as well as combining with the three strongmen in a thrilling opening act that saw her twirled and flung precariously from one side of the stage to the other.
Carrying no fat, the calibre of Smoke & Mirrors cast and the quality of its execution are as good as it gets. Judging by the crowd reaction throughout, this audience had only one word for Ilott and his collaborators as the curtain fell: More.
Nicole Russo
