I have never before seen anyone standing on their head while on top of someone else’s head. So that’s a first.
Why would you want to see that? Because it’s fun and amazing and just one of the extraordinary circus tricks you will see in Cirque Alice, an epic new show by the creators of The Illusionists – Tim Lawson (TML Enterprises) and Simon Painter (Painter Productions). If you remember The Illusionists, a summer blockbuster that was unforgettably entertaining, you’ll know that Lawson and Painter know how to put on a show.
Their new one, a co-production with QPAC, was created over a couple of weeks in Brisbane and launched at a world premiere in the Concert Hall last Friday night as the lead event for QPAC’s 40th birthday celebrations.
And what a great way to begin the party. These guys have assembled some of the best creatives and acrobatic acts from around the world, adding some terrific local talent to produce a show that is pure entertainment from beginning to end. And they don’t stretch the friendship because it’s just two hours long. Bliss.
I cannot remember when I have had so much fun at a show. Actually, I can. Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show at last year’s Brisbane Festival was probably the most entertaining show I have seen in recent years, but now Cirque Alice easily matches it and it’s a brilliant production for the school holidays.
Okay, there are a few adult jokes that will go over the heads of the littlies, but they are witty, never unsavoury and delivered by US trickster Jeff Hobson, who is the show’s intermittent MC.
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I remember him from The Illusionists. He’s a terrific magician and a very funny man. Close your eyes and he sounds like Liberace. Hold onto your watch if he gets anywhere near you, though. He just might, because he comes down into the audience at times looking for victims. He’s a master of diplomacy and sly remarks and he put a smile on my dial every time he appeared.
Cirque Alice cleverly reimagines Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and weaves that story through the show. We begin, of course, with the White Rabbit – Darius Thompson from the UK -who plays a mean fiddle. Violin if you want to be snobbish about it. Man can he play!
Then Alice appears to follow him down his hole. Alice is played by rising Australian star and soprano Layle Schillert, who some might have seen on TV’s Australian Idol. Boy, does she frock up for the part, including wearing one of the biggest frocks you will ever see as she soars above the stage.
Next the story is told visually through a number of amazing and entertaining acts, including The TT Boys from Ethiopia as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum doing the most insane acrobatics at lightning speed.
It’s the standing on your head on top of someone else’s head trick by them that blew our minds
Then there’s the Ramadhani Brothers appearing as the Red and White Knights. They are an acrobatic duo consisting of Fadhili Ramadhani and Ibrahim Jobu. The duo is from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They competed in TV’s Australia’s Got Talent in 2022 and America’s Got Talent in 2023. They won America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League in 2024.
It’s the standing on your head on top of someone else’s head trick by them that blew our minds. You have never seen anything like this and please … don’t try this at home! So good.
Then there’s Oleg Tatarynov (Australia’s Got Talent) on aerial pole as The Butterfly, Alexandre Lane (Cirque Bon Bon) as The March Hare in the Cyr Wheel and Maria Sarach (Cirque du Soleil) hand-balancing as The Queen of Hearts.
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This two-hour spectacular also features William Estuart Mena Gonzales on the rola bola as The Dormouse; duo aerial act Maria Romanenko and Alexander Vakar as The Flamingos; Leandro Zeferino (La Soirée) and Anastasiia Vashenko (Gran Circo Mundial) as the roller-skating Royals; and Mongolian contortionists Tsetseglen Odgerel, Bayarmaa Ganbat, Baigalmaa Chuluun and Dolgorsuren Ganbold bamboozling as The Caterpillar. They are also incredible. Everybody is!
Creative producer Simon Painter claims the Cirque Alice line-up is the best cast of international acrobats to ever perform in Australia and I really can’t argue with that.
“When we were creating this show, we were looking for two things: who is the very best in the world, and what acts best personify the characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Painter says. “The choice of The TT Boys as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee was obvious, as they will bring this extremely energetic and quirky act that is known as Icarian Games; while The Queen of Hearts is a very strong domineering character who needs to do something extraordinary, like we’ll see in Maria Sarach’s hand-balancing act.”
The all-new soundtrack is by Norwegian composers Martin Raabe-Olsen and Marius Christiansen, with live accompaniment by violinist Darius Thompson straight from London’s West End, and features remixes of classical favourites such as Flight of the Bumblebee, Delibes’ gorgeous Flower Duet, Für Elise and others. QPAC’s Klais Grand Organ is also featured like never before – and that’s a treat because we rarely get to hear it.
Local gals Ash Jacks and Kirsty Painter are on board as creative directors, with costumes by Angela Aaron and puppets by the Olivier Award-winning Unit 9.
Choreography is by the award-winning Dane Bates, with local dancers Abby Lennon, Charlee Danilczak, Kaylee Smith, Gabriel Herrera and Lachlan Greenland.
TML Enterprises has created, produced and presented first-class musicals and family entertainment to more than 450 cities in 45 countries, smashing box-office records on Broadway, London and beyond, regularly doing so with creative producers Painter Productions.
Cirque Alice marks their eighth circus production together, many of which, including Le Noir (seen at QPAC in 2015) and Circus 1903, have enjoyed great international success with multiple sell-out seasons in London, New York and Vegas.
Now they are back in Brisbane – and you do not want to miss this show. It’s just pure entertainment for everyone.
Cirque Alice plays the Concert Hall, QPAC, until April 22.
qpac.com.au