If I were to ask you, which fringe troupe is most likely to be found spooning naked on stage, you may have guessed correctly The Head First Acrobats. The cheeky Aussie entertainers’ confidence level can only be admired, as they named their show Crème de la crème and declared it to be an incredible display of the hottest acts around. On a technical level they delivered, but their artistic impression left room for improvement.
Feelgood, tongue in cheek entertainment and explosive stunts.
The Head First Acrobats are a wildly entertaining acrobat group from Melbourne, Australia. Their unique mix of circus combines irresistibly old school slapstick comedy with new school acrobatics. I saw their pirate romp Arrr We There Yet five years ago and fell for their boyish charms. Now they are storming the Brighton Fringe with three different shows. They are one of the few groups who can successfully perform shows both for children and adults. Crème de la crème is definitely for adult eyes only. There are plenty of well-toned muscles to admire and as a grand finale, the boys reveal a peekaboo of their crown jewels.
Each member of The Head First Acrobats has their own special forte in addition to seamless group acrobatics. MC Cal Harris showed off his street performer skills by taking us back to fond memories of COVID-19 rapid antigen testing. Only he did it by inserting a balloon through his nose all the way into the back of his mouth and pulling it out. We can all sympathize now. Thomas Gorham performed some great breakdancing and nailed it with his crazy Finaleman persona. Jordan Twartz had heads spinning with his remarkable diabolo act. Chelsea Angell mastered the hula hoops.
The four regular members were joined by Alex Caulfield, fresh from Circue du Soleil, who had his moment in skimpy leotard briefs on gym rings and Alanah Hill, who handled her international debut admirably on the aerial hoop. The showstopper came straight from the Godz routine; there are four naked guys but just three trays to hide behind. You get the picture.
The Head First Acrobats chose the perfect location for their show. Brighton Fringe’s newest outdoor festival site Caravanserai’s big top tent Luna Park is beautifully decorated with dozens of old lampshades. The only drawback is the uncomfortable deck chairs, but luckily the performers had us sitting at the edge of our seats anyway. The Head First Acrobats are a brand to be trusted for feelgood, tongue in cheek entertainment and explosive stunts. What the Crème de la crème show lacked was a proper backstory. With a story behind them, like in their award-winning show Godz or Arr we there yet!, they are nearly unstoppable.
