What do you get when you mix a bunch of cute fit Aussie lads with burlesque, vaudeville, dance, clowning, circus and drag? A delicious blend of butch boisterous burlesque called Briefs: The Second Coming. Taking part in the rather sweet and well designed London Wonderground festival these lads were appearing in the Spiegletent and rather delightful it was too.
Fresh from glitter-bombing the globe, the award winning troupe brought us their brand new show, with new acts and a very cute, young new member. The host is a wonderful mix of glamour and potty mouthed trash in a very Australian way but consistently funny and held the show together through-out the night, although the whole thing, like each and every outfit, was pretty tight anyway so just needed the odd nudge to keep it on the right side of manic.
Like a lot of highly skilled circus performers these boys like to add a touch of chaotic ramshackle to the night, just to make it more teasy and mixed up with some very cool Burlesque numbers this worked very well, the lads are fit, know it, like to show it and can bump, grind, thrust and wiggle like the best of them, the cool opening number using traditional fans and UV light a real way to rouse the audience.
The boys and their acts are well balanced throughout the night with some very funny ensemble numbers built around funny themes, and there are few dull moments. With a quick turn over and lots of loud pumping music this is a show heavy on the spectacle, sequins and spangle, and if the act doesn’t interest you you can always just check out their muscles. Each of the acts has their own turn too, from the rather sensual and athletic water act that finishes the night to the punky and raunchy manic monkey act. Each ‘boy’ is excellent on their own and combine in group ensemble numbers that are funny, exciting and entertain.
It’s a mixed audience and the show reflects the fact that they must get a lot of hen parties in along with the hordes of benders, queers, hipsters, gays and queens who filled the seats, but there’s plenty to entertain the gay boys, or anyone frankly who enjoyed this flirtatious mix of burlesque and circus. I liked it and left with a grin, the boyfriend laughed and grinned his way though the evening too, always a good sign and we both agreed the highpoint was the drag queen in the long white coat on the treadmill with the fan, marching like a demented Gaga into infinity, laugh out loud funny.
They have a few more dates left before bumping and grinding off to their next gig so catch them if you can. Otherwise keep your eyes out for their third cuming return, something suggests these boys are just gonna go and go and go.
Catch them while you can they are here till the 28th September, or weep. It’s antipodean burlesque with balls!
To book tickets or to learn more about these Aussie wonders of the circus check out their website here:
The London Wonderground festival on the South Bank runs till the 29th September with a wide range of performances still to come, see the website here for more info.
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