Describing themselves as cult cabaret mischief makers, circus stars and heart-stopping hooligans, the cast of Briefs: Bite Club have been surprising, delighting, even occasionally shocking their audiences around the world for more than 10 years.
In that time, they’ve perfected insouciance as an art form with their cheeky mixture of burlesque, drag, amazing acrobatics, and just plain silliness with a succession of unique, cleverly produced extravaganzas.
Previously proudly all-male, for Briefs: Bite Club they’ve added a surprise ingredient in talented singer/songwriter Sahara Beck with her excellent three-piece band consisting of her brother Ocean Beck on keys, Damon Joel on Drums and Ben Mackay on drums, all costumed rather self-consciously in op-shop treasures.
Beck is a marvellous singer, with a voice able to shift through angelic, ethereal, harsh, urgent and demanding. Her moody songs become the soundtrack for the show which commenced with her earworm, Crack Crack Bang, which introduced the five members of Brief’s with their cutely choreographed routine featuring multi-coloured feather fans.
Following a long, wordy introduction from MC Fez Faanana, Beck took the stage to accompany Thomas Worrell’s amazing hoop routine with her composition, Like You, and Rowan Thomas’ cheeky Cyr wheel strip routine with Mr Breezy.
The program continued with Beck featured in solos with the band, or participating in delightfully silly production numbers built around her songs, and the particular skills of Bite Club soloists, Mark Winmill, Thomas Worrell, Luke Hubbard (Nastia), Rowan Thomas and Fez Faanana whose every appearance featured an ensemble more outrageous than the last.
Among many highlights during the evening was the lovely solo, Daisy, written and performed by Beck sitting alone in a spotlight on the edge of the stage, which heralded the second half of the program.
Mark “Captain Kidd” Winmill’s extraordinary trapeze routine dangling practically naked above, and in, a huge cocktail glass; Luke Hubbard (Nastia) performing death-defying tumbles in the highest of high-heel shoes to Can’t Get Enough; and the stunning finale in which all five soloists performed dazzling acrobatics to Beck’s I’m in love – which brought the audience to its feet for a delirious standing ovation; were all memorable.
Briefs Bite Club is one of the best of this genre currently touring, with excellent production values and exemplary skill levels. However, despite the undeniable brilliance of Sahara Beck and her songs, by placing so much focus on her, the rest of the show became her support act.
As yet Sahara Beck doesn’t possess the necessary presentation skills to carry a show of this nature and while Briefs Bite Club ft Sahara Beck is an excellent concept, perhaps a little less Beck, and a little more polish to the compere’s presentation, would lift it into the world class show it has the potential to be.
Briefs: Bite Club ft Sahara Beck
The Playhouse – Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, Canberra
Performance: Thursday 21 November 2024
Season continues to 23 November 2024
Information and Bookings: www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Following the Canberra season, Briefs Factory International will present CLUB BRIEFS: The Works at Carriageworks from 27 November – 15 December 2024.
Image: The Cast of Briefs: Bite Club (supplied)
Review: Bill Stephens OAM