By Nick Pilgrim
“This show is a must-see if you’re looking for a wild, laugh-out-loud, and jaw-dropping experience!”
“More fun than a barrel of monkeys!”
This is Cirque du Soleil meets Magic Mike—Elixir is the wild, raw and rowdy. You can’t miss this.
“Beyond the laughs, the show delivers some of the most accomplished performers of the entire Fringe.”
If this glowing selection of recent pull quotes from other sites and publications are anything to consider, Elixir Revived was always going to be the one act I anticipated seeing most of all at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.
(Once media passes are made available, Theatre Matters allows its writing team to submit their bids and fingers crossed, review everything they request.)
Some of the 500 experiences on offer this season could be considered potluck. To be fair, this is an integral part of the three-week schedule’s unpredictable yet enticing appeal. The primary reason being, a solid number of the artists are new or untested on the local independent scene. Though without a doubt, there is always something for everyone. Myself included.
That being said, I was keen to see Head First Acrobats’ latest offering from the moment it was announced.
Three years ago, I was privileged to deep dive into the unknown with Railed. Playing for a strictly limited season at Gasworks Park, the show employed rough-and-tumble cowboys as the basis for its Wild West themed antics.
Presented as four bandits on the run, for sixty minutes their trick-driven narrative featured off-centre twists on aerial ballet, adagio acrobatics, whip cracking and juggling. Making several key appearances throughout the performance, a freeform yoyo display neatly tied the experience together.
‘Inventive’ and ‘unique’ would be two of the many adjectives to describe, Elixir Revived. Not the least, being the wicked lovechild of Manpower, Studio 54, Lano & Woodley, and The Substance combined.
Led by Tom, Liam, and AJ, these boys know exactly what they’re doing and for whom they’re pitching it. Tailored for discerning audiences ready for action, the catwalk-ready trio are determined to show viewers (almost) everything they’ve got. In their quest for giving us a great time no matter what, the lads succeed in spades.
In my time as a critic for Theatre Matters, I have seen a solid handful of dance, acrobatics, magic, and physical theatre.
Elixir Revived possesses one of the most brilliant and original set-ups I have ever witnessed. Three completely mad scientists are asked to test and document the results from ingesting a rainbow-bright selection of liquid medicine. How these unwitting lab rats react and respond to each successive tasting, encapsulates this bizarre journey’s hilarious arc. Game for anything and calling ‘chicken’ when they’re not, the team throw themselves into the challenge with unbridled gusto.
I cannot think of a more satisfying hook.
As one would expect from a company as refreshing as Head First, like my immediate reaction watching Railed, the story gets crazier, cheekier and more outlandish by the minute.
Some of Elixir’s skilfully woven highlights included:
- An aerial ballet artist suspended by their teeth.
- Adagio tests of strength
- Attempting handstands on a stack of bricks.
- Outsmarting a zombie apocalypse
- Knife throwing within an inch of the performers’ lives
- Making a human lasso
- Seesaw tumbling on big and small scales
The list goes on.
Elixir Revived is high-energy, sweaty mayhem flying thick and fast. But be prepared, punters in the first few rows will become an integral part of the action on-stage. (Happily, last Tuesday’s audience seemed to be having the times of their lives.)
Situated at the cusp of Melbourne’s Haymarket, the Meat Market’s Cobblestone Pavillion is an excellent choice for this brand of entertainment. Raked seating at the back of the space allows for an unobstructed view, keeping spectators always up close and personal.
Like a well-kept after dark secret, both the show and the venue imbue a speakeasy vibe. Yours truly enjoyed Elixir Revived so much, I am hoping to indulge in a second helping over the weekend.
Playing until Saturday, this is my must-see festival ticket for eager beaver grown-ups. Don’t miss out.
