The Underbelly Festival on the Southbank grows bigger and better each year, and this summer the extensive programme includes the award winning production of 'Briefs' returning this year with their brand new show 'Close Encounters'. It performed in a circus themed space, with seats in the round and glittering ushers who escort you to your place. Then, from the moment the the lights come up, the disco music starts and the cast of six fabulous men in their sequins and spanx step into the spotlight, you know you are in for treat.
Described as an 'all male boylesque circus' there's no mistaking the skill of each and every cast member. There is juggling, hula hoops, baton twirling, aerial work, plus some hilarious interpretive dance, all linked together by some thinly veiled story involving space and close encounters.
But of course it is not the story the audience care about it is the men!
Each member of the cast shines brightly, showcasing their individual talents and personalities all under the skillful direction of fellow cast member Fez Faanana, who comperes the show with wit, humour and six inch heels.
Thanks to costume designer Lisa Fa'alafi the show is not only a visual feast of extravagant costumes, it's also a chance to appreciate the male physique when these sassy boys strip and reveal their beautiful bodies. And I do mean beautiful, to be able to admire the strength and skill of these artists at work is a joy.
Many of the audience had clearly been to a 'Briefs' show before, but for me this was a first, and I was smiling from ear to ear from beginning to end. With a running time of just over an hour I was certainly left wanting more.
This is certainly my kind of circus, I laughed, gasped in awe at the skills, marvelled at the beauty, and came away wanting to become a trapeze artist and strut around in high heels, on reflection a hula hoop and a new pair of spanx may have to suffice.
It's always tricky as a critic when the negativity you feel about a production isn't shared by the audience around you. So although I found the current revival of Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre weak for a number of reasons, people all around me were loving it and gave the evening a standing ovation; so I'm allocating it four stars inspired by their reaction and not the three which reflect my grumbles.