CIRCUS

Presented by Briefs Factory

The West Australian Spiegeltent

Review by Jessica Clausen

Leading out of the West Australian Spiegeltent on Saturday was a line curling through the Fringe World Pleasure Garden; audiences waiting outside for the best seat in the house, anticipating the open doors. The show causing the stir was Briefs – and by the end of the performance, it was no surprise why.

Briefs combines vaudeville theatrics with burlesque and circus. Having started in 2008 as a speakeasy, the Briefs Factory transformed into a performance group and since then have expanded to international tours and sell-out shows.

When the doors finally opened, the Spiegeltent had guests scrambling through the dimly lit tent for a prime spot, and an excited murmur fell through the room. As the show started the crowd cheered with excitement as a skimpy dance number opened the show, featuring giant feather fans and classic white briefs.

It’s clear why Briefs has such success in Perth over many other cities – there is nothing else like it. The show is a raunchy, overtly sexual creation that many viewers would find confronting (well, this is burlesque). But with the city’s sense of intrigue and the shock of such an eclectic, loud show, Perth simply can’t get enough of Briefs Factory.

The show was run through its paces by host Fez Fa’anana, an excitable, snappy performer dipping in and out of an aggressively masculine voice and a higher effeminate voice. Fez’s honest demeanour, filled with sarcastic comments and a snarky attitude, was refreshing and entertaining to watch; outspoken and hilarious, you don’t come by hosts like this often.

Other notable segments included burlesque performances from drag queen Dallas Dellaforce, acrobatic endeavours from Thomas Worrell and a rather outlandish act featuring three owners and their leashed-up boys or ‘dogs’. After performing a range of tricks for competition, these pets proceeded to get a little too frisky with their owners.

Of especial delight was our own WA representative, Louis Biggs. Specializing in yo-yo and impressive Rubiks cube skills, Louis’ zeal left many members of the audience lustful of the Briefs Factory’s youngest member.

Briefs is weird, flamboyant, outrageously sexual and blatant; but that’s what the genre asks for. Free from the static nature of single genres, the eclectic mix of circus, cabaret, burlesque and the show’s raw and self-aware humour makes a piece that doesn’t come by often. Loud and proud in its dramatically queer, you’re guaranteed to walk into the Spiegeltent and out of safe predictability of your everyday life.

Briefs will be running from February 8-14 at the The West Australian Spiegeltent in Northbridge. Tickets available here.