“I think you’ll find it will be less damp over there.”
Welcome to SOAP! A German circus performing in the Spiegeltent at Underbelly Festival Southbank, as part of Underbelly’s 10th Anniversary celebrations.
Focused around the theme of all things wet, this humorous spectacular contains impressive displays of strength, agility and aerial acrobatics and truly jaw dropping talent in terms of routines performed in and around the bath tub. The content is your traditional complement of circus acts with juggling, trapeze and contortionism of eye watering proportions.
In spite of my appreciation for the amazing talent on display, I left feeling unsatiated. A wanting for something truly a stretch further than the theme of water which added a visual gloss, and at times, sensuality, to the otherwise routine acts.
Adem Yemam’s juggling seemed completely out of place, as were some of his catches. Jennifer Lindshield’s operatic voice brought an oasis of calm, beauty and humour intially but I found these interventions increasingly tedious. Most of the acts rather drably played out traditional gender stereotypes and dynamics: a Full Monty towel teasing routine, a threesome dance routine and the host Marie-Andree Lemaire was largely just left ogling the men’s physiques in a cutsey fashion.
The highlights were the excellent towel spinning antics of Vanessa Alvarez, and the graceful aerial performances by Mortiz Haase and Daniel Stern high above the tubs. With water showering upon them, both of these displays contained something far more soulful and affecting than anything else within the show, and I drank these in in silence.
A certainly enjoyable and worthwhile show, suitable for the family, to see as part of the fantastic Underbelly season on the Southbank. But remember to bring your anorak of you’re daring to sit in the front rows….