Head First Acrobats. The Flamingo at Gluttony. 4 Mar 2
18
Three swashbuckling pirates in a ship full of shtick.
Well, it is a rubber ducky of a ship and it is more in the imagination than in evidence in the tent at Gluttony. But such detail is incidental to the activities of its crew. They are hapless, hopeless, bickering, boisterous, disobedient, sneaky, entirely silly - and very good at it.
In other words, these pirates know the ropes.
They’re Melbourne acrobats and clowns called Head First. They’re highly trained and extremely personable. Loosely, they cast themselves as the sensible should-be captain, the buffoon, and the loser. They tell all sorts of pirate jokes some of which cross the age barriers and are hard to resist re-telling. What ships do pirates struggle with? Relationships. Haw haw haw!
They tumble, they dance with mops, they do prat falls, they do classic clown routines, ladder tricks, play at Ghost Busters and do wild chases to the Benny Hill theme, juggle knives and do spectacular seesaw stunts. The most fantastic act is with the spinning wheel.
It’s a dauntingly strenuous show, dangerous and funny.
Well worth the family Fringe dollar.
Samela Harris
4.5 stars
When: 4 to 18 Mar
Where: The Flamingo at Gluttony
Bookings: adelaidefringe.com.au
