Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
Dazzling artistry and whimsical charm from La Clique at Leicester Square's spiegeltent, in a night filled with breathtaking performances and cheeky humour amidst a festive setting.Summary
Rating
Excellent
A spiegeltent is a large, travelling entertainment venue made of wood and canvas. The one in Leicester Square, surrounded by a Christmas Market, boldly announces the arrival of the festive season.
Upon entering the venue, it is easy to forget that this is a temporary building. Moving from the bar area, we enter the entertainment space, which is set “in the round”, and we are escorted to the next available seats – there is no allocated seating. I am seated with my back to a small stage area adorned with red curtains, facing the relatively small circular stage in the centre.
We are bombarded with the music associated with a traditional circus, surrounded by splashes of red, gold and glass. The excitement builds as the lights dim, the music changes and the spotlights rest on the central stage where we see Miranda Menzies suspended by her hair. She is lifted into the air and proceeds to wow us with her acrobatics, grace and strength.
The evening is organised into two acts, with performers appearing in each. The performance is full of great feats of daring, adult comedy, juggling, strength and balance; these are artists you literally and figuratively have to look up to!
For me, one of the standout acts is the Roller Skating Duo of Nathan Price and Isis Clegg-Vinell who are joined in the second act by aerialist Cornelius Atkinson. This trio, known as Trio Vertex, perform some risk-taking stunts, with Clegg-Vinell demonstrating enormous trust in her fellow performers. Truly breathtaking!
Bringing a lighter side to the show is Australia’s Asher Treleaven, who brings precision diabolo juggling with adult comedy, including a reading of an adult romance novel after the interval. Treleaven’s characterisation is hilariously sleazy.
A final highlight is Hand Balancer Danik Abishev. Another Australian, he performs balances on ladders and other apparatus, demonstrating strength and precision with a lot of cheekiness, including stripping down to his underpants!
Amidst the electrifying performances, the music and lighting play a crucial role in crafting an unforgettable atmosphere. Pumping beats elevate the show’s energy, with a particularly festive remix of The Carol of the Bells accompanying Katherine Arnold‘s creative aerial silk act. This combination of sound and spectacle only adds to the night’s enchantment.
The whole evening is compered with great aplomb by David Bates, who originated La Clique for the Edinburgh Fringe and curates the acts. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of this wonderful show, and during the performance Bates’ achievements are celebrated by co-producers Underbelly.
I had a wonderful evening and was both cheered and astounded by the artistry on display. However, due to my seating, some of the performances were lacking for me. Some of the performers seemed to forget that my section of the audience existed, forcing us to watch nearly the entirety of their act looking at their backs. This was frustrating because I knew the calibre of their skills was exceptional. Still, despite these few viewing challenges, La Clique‘s electrifying performances and unique atmosphere deliver an unforgettable night of entertainment that is well worth the ticket price.
Directed by: David Bates
Aerial Straps: Cornelius Atkinson
Hand Balancer: Danik Abishev
Duo Roller Skating: Isis Clegg-Vinell & Nathan Price
Juggler: Florian Brooks
Aerialist: Katharine Arnold
Tension Straps: LJ Marles
Hair Suspension: Miranda Menzies
Diablo: Asher Treleaven
Tap dance: Bayley Graham
Produced by: Underbelly, in association with David Bates
La Clique plays at Leicester Square’s Spiegeltent until 5 Janaury. Further information and tickets available here.
