• theatre
  • features
  • faqs
  • contact
  • theatre
  • features
  • faqs
  • contact
  Art Murmurs - Wellington Reviews

Reviews

Seven Deadly Stunts

19/4/2018

Comments

 

by Laura Ferguson

Picture
One event I truly miss since moving from Christchurch is their annual World Buskers Festival. That’s one reason I look forward to the productions of Rollicking Entertainment starring husband-and-wife team Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman. Their latest offering, Seven Deadly Stunts, brings me more of what I crave in a busker festival-less world: excitement, thrills, fun and the bouncing curiosity of seeing feats even my imagination wouldn’t dare attempt.

​
Tollemache and Ladderman’s Seven Deadly Stunts is exactly as it sounds: seven sideshow acts that combine anticipation, vicarious fear and comedy. It delivers this in chainsaws, and no, that isn’t just an awkward substitution for spades.

​Being a history and trivia nerd, this show immediately appealed to me by combining these stunts with their illustrious histories. We get to hear about the beginnings of these now infamous tricks. The tales of Buffalo Bill and Harry Houdini are mentioned as well as unknown historical performers, such as Aimo Leikas, whose Wikipedia pages I will devour when I get home. The lesson of the tricks’ rise in prominence is validated by the performing of the stunt, reiterating why these were so popular and have endured through to today. As informative as it is entertaining, I am a sucker for this show right from the start.

This timelapse consisting of antiquities most thrilling feats brings a brilliant structure to the show but I am most impressed by the showmanship and ease Tollemache and Ladderman exude while performing. Every one of these acts could easily be the showstopper. The one at the end that leaves us breathless and patting our brutally thumping hearts. We don’t just get one of these, oh no. Seven times over I am peeking from behind flushed fingers, gusting nervous breaths between my lips, whispering, “They’re insane. They are insane people,” to my partner who is annoyingly relaxed and chuckling at the puns.

The audience was pretty split in terms of these two reactions. There were definitely those just as squeamish as myself supplying “Ooh’s” and “Noooo’s” while the other half made of more solid constitutions laughing at the comedy and wondering with thoughtful eyes how the duo are pulling these tricks off.

Tonight’s sell-out crowd is enthusiastic and willing, and thank Virtus, god of bravery, as there is some audience participation involved. However, there is no forced terror presented and Ladderman and Tollemache make for fine hosts, even if Tollemache gets a little carried away with the innuendo. Although it adds a touch of the burlesque to tease her male volunteer, I wonder how comfortable I would have felt were the genders reversed in that situation. Bending over suggestively and asking the volunteer to crawl between her legs would have been icky if her husband had attempted it with a woman instead.

The moment is fleeting though and I am right back to enjoying the daredevilry. Whether it’s a modified Russian Roulette, escapology or fire manipulation, the wonders never cease. One stunt is even banned by The Magic Circle for being too dangerous, much to my gasping horror. I have never cheered so much for the survival of another person before and it comes unbidden, an inherent need to congratulate someone for not dying, maiming or otherwise harming themselves.

The love of Tollemache and Ladderman have for their work keeps this crowd smiling. Passion and conviction flood their words and I am touched as they explain that this show may seem dangerous but to them, it is a celebration of the sideshow, of circus, of the unknown and the hidden magics that live on today. The pair have successfully delivered these ideas to us tonight as we whoop and holler out our appreciation as they bow. These seven stunts may appear deadly, but woah did they give me life.

Seven Deadly Stunts, part of the Wellington Comedy Festival, is currently showing at Circa Theatre. Visit the Circa Theatre website for more information or to book tickets.
Comments

    Local Honest Reviews

    At Art Murmurs, our aim is to provide honest and constructive art reviews to the Wellington community.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All
    All Age Appropriate
    Art
    BATS
    Beauty Standards
    Black Comedy
    Body Positive
    Circa
    Circus
    Comedy
    Comedy Festival 2018
    Comedy Festival 2019
    Comedy Gala 2022
    Community Theatre
    Dance
    Devised
    Documentary
    Drag
    Drama
    Emerging Artist
    Exhibition
    Experimental
    Female Artists
    Feminism
    Feminist
    Festival
    For Kids
    Fringe
    Fun
    Gallery
    Gryphon Theatre
    Hannah Playhouse
    Heart + Music
    History
    Improv
    Interactive
    International
    Interview
    Ivy
    Lighting
    Local
    Mental Health
    Monologue
    Music
    Musical
    New Writing
    New Zealand
    NZ Comedy
    NZ Fringe
    NZIF
    On Tour
    Performance Poetry
    Photography
    Photospace Gallery
    Physical Theatre
    Political
    Politics
    Premiere
    Pyramid Club
    Queer
    Race
    Roxy LIVE
    Science
    Scruffy Bunny Improv Theatre
    Sexual Violence
    Shakespeare
    Site Specific
    Site-specific
    Sketch
    Solo Show
    Song
    Spoken Word
    Stagecraft
    Storytelling
    Tahi Festival
    Te Auaha
    Theatre
    Thought Provoking
    Thought-provoking
    Thriller
    Toi Poneke Gallery
    Verbatim
    Victoria University
    Violence
    Virtual Theatre
    Weekly
    Wellington
    Wellington Footlights
    Wellington Repertory