Marcia shines in this new iteration of the Velvet series that opened to thunderous applause and a standing ovation last night (Wednesday 29 July) at the Sydney Opera House.
Velvet Inferno is set firmly in the disco firmament of the seventies and early eighties and is an unapologetic extended love song to the era and its greatest hits, as performed by some of our great voices interspersed by jaw dropping feats of physical circus.
With Marcia Hines as The Diva, KYE as the newcomer Gloria, they are supplemented by a cast of aerialists and a quick change artist, while the proceedings are overseen from on high by Brendan Maclean as Country Mike.
The performers work the stage, with most of the circus acts bringing the action right into the audience via the thrust stage, which they dominate while the non-stop hits keep coming from Marcia, KYE and the Sirens (Emma Feliciano and Mateja Sardelis).
The show opens with Dan Hartman’s Relight My Fire and moves straight into Read My Mind before the perennial dance floor hit Play That Funky Music (White Boy) sets the banging mood for the rest of the show. The tone of Velvet Inferno shifts dramatically when County Mike performs as version of the Bee Gees disco anthem Staying Alive on the ukulele.
This not only gives a pause to the constant disco beats, but allows the song to breathe while revealing the true meaning of the lyrics, which are about staying alive on the streets of New York at a time when neighbourhood gangs were on the rise.
Zoe Marshall sets the tone for the other acts, with a breathtaking aerial act that leaves no doubt that she is the master of her art, only to be confirmed later with her display of hair hanging.
Ukrainian roller skater duo Yevhenii and Vlada, as Stardust, not only dazzle with their incredible feats of speed and artistry performed on a small stage, they up the voltage when they take it into the air, leaving the audience gasping in disbelief.
Craig Reid, who has appeared in all of the Velvets, first enters as a bumbling interloper, but quickly wins us over with his disarming engagement and skills with the hula hoop like we have never seen before. Later in the show he leaves the audience dumbfounded with his quick change act that is talked about long after the show has finished.
A ripped body and great looks are not superlatives enough to describe aerialist Oleg Tatarynov’s skills as he stuns with his flying poles routine, before making a big splash with It’s Raining Men.
Director Craig Ilott, who is also billed as creator, has performed miracles as he and the other creatives have made the use of a small stage, minimal sets and costume changes and brought us something of a spectacle that reaches heights in singing and other artistry.
At this stage of her career Marcia has earned the right just to be a presence, but in Velvet Inferno she proves that she can still command the stage with her singing, which cuts through the pumping soundtrack while putting her signature right over her performance.
By now Brendan Maclean is an old hand with this format, and his ease on stage and powerful vocals prove it.
The Sirens are a force to be reckoned with in their own right with their energy and closely matched vocals reaching the heights of a music form noted for its vocalisation. They are great movers and should have taken more cues from the iconic disco dances of the era such as The Hustle and The Bump.
All of the other artists take their particular art form way past what is usually seen in similar circus and cabaret acts and contribute much to the show’s success as pure entertainment.
If anything detracts from the show’s many strengths, it is the attempt to inject the story of Gloria as the fledgling singer who takes her time to earn her disco stripes. This only serves to detract from KYE’s potential in Velvet Inferno, which is revealed too late in the show.
At around 75 minutes in duration Velvet Inferno is the perfect show for a great night out, and if group bookings are still a thing, this the show to leave everyone singing in unison, but whether we want to hear that or not is another thing.
Velvet Inferno
Studio – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Performance: Wednesday 29 July 2026
Season continues to 13 September 2026
Information and Bookings: www.sydneyoperahouse.com
Images: Marcia Hines – photo by Ken Leanfore | The Company of Velvet Inferno – photo by Ken Leanfore | Yevhenii and Vlada (Stardust) – photo by Ken Leanfore | Craig Reid – photo by Ken Leanfore | Oleg Tatarynov – photo by Ken Leanfore
Review: John Moyle