Interactive - Whats The Show

Connecting Beyond Language: The Heart-Stopping Magic of The Fijian Flying Circus

22/10/202622/10/2026 Nicole Salinger🥈⚡🎭😂🎪

Fijian Flying Circus Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Upon entering the Gate 7 Warehouse at the Melbourne showgrounds, I feel as though I am entering a mammoth, makeshift circus tent, in a remote area, as the buildings surrounding this enclosed marquee are all quiet.

But this warehouse is where all the action is.

Through a casual entrance, I come upon a semi-circle seated area, with chairs on the ground and behind it. Up a sequence of stairs, one can sit higher at a benched area to gain a wider scope of the circus action that will soon be displayed onstage.

The show? The Australian premiere of The Fijian Flying Circus, by internationally renowned Fijian contemporary dance troupe ‘VOU Dance Fiji’. Presented by Fijian Airways, this high-octane circus-infused show celebrates the joyous, cultural storytelling of traditional Fijian heritage, but with a modern edge.

There are drum-filled African beats. Tumbling and twirling through the air. Masterful ring tosses and jugglers giving things a spin. Hair-hanging trapeze artistry. Tightrope walking. Smiles for miles lighting up the stage. And on top of that? A cute Pacific-themed storyline, featuring mischievous mythical creatures, playful tribesmen, and an ongoing to-and-fro tryst between friends Loma and Tui – about a pair of magical shoes.

A clever, simple storyline that weaves in well with the mythical story Loma embarks and stumbles upon. A descent into a mystical book – to a wondrous world filled with acrobatic forest spirits. Beautiful island singing. Stilted female giants. Dancing fabled creatures. All springing forth from a harmonious, rhythmic world of Fiji’s Pacific flora and fauna.

And the cast are all in on the joy and laughter too.

There are funny whistling antics to get the audience laughing and clapping along. There are high-energy drummers wishing to continue their energetic stomping, much to the dismay of female cast members doubling over with mock-exhaustion. There is even a few bars of Neil Diamond’s iconic song, ’Sweet Caroline’ thrown in at the end of the show for good measure – to the delight of the audience to sing and clap along to.

In all, this show was bold, daring, and willing to go beyond its limits. In particular, the Emcee of the show, was so full of passion for his and his company’s artistry. As a troupe, they are deeply dedicated to connecting with audiences and telling their unique brand of storytelling in a modern, heart-stopping way.

The Fijian Flying Circus? Is simply a spectacle of joy. Driving home the idea that the human emotions of happiness, silliness and clowning around can indeed transcend language, culture and even heritage.

That as long we can connect as humans in curiosity, in hope and in wonder; then is that not simply enough for our spirits to thrive in this ever changing world?

I think so.

With high-flying aerial stunts, modern dance lifts, and bouncy beats of twerking thrown in, Fijian Flying Circus is literally an otherworldly experience, and is worth the trip to the Showgrounds to enjoy this lucky ride.

To book tickets to Fijian Flying Circus, please visit https://feverup.com/m/673760?thm=16238&thm_=.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Thinking Pink: Amelie Peters Is Your ‘Emotionally Unstable Godmother’ at Melbourne Fringe

17/10/2026 Nicole Salinger🥈⚡🎭😂🎪

Sink or Sing! A Sing-Along Cabaret Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Inside the ETU ballroom of the Trades Hall, I come upon the depths of a smoke-filled room, with chairs lined up much like a church choir hall, with a six piece band across the back of the stage, seemingly ready to roll.

A bass player. A female drummer wearing a pink cap. A guitarist. A female keyboard player. Even a keys 2. Finishing off with a horn player.

‘A Woman Song’ by Emmy Meli plays overhead. As does ‘Good luck babe’ by Chappell Roan. Pink stage lights beam above, bouncing off the myriad of sparkly items that sit on a prop table: a glittery notebook, a mobile phone, a pair of pink crocs, a bedazzled hairbrush, a makeup pouch entitled ‘passenger princess’, a hot pink beauty headband, and a matching-coloured facial roller.

On the left, and hung on a pole railing, sits a sheer mesh, faux fur trim, long sleeved kimono robe, ready for the taking. Ready to be worn by a bold and empowered performer, Amelie Peters, who, as far as I had read, will aim to take us through a whirlwind, topsy-turvy sing-a-long extravaganza – like no other.

An intro is heard overhead. Of Amelie anxiously getting ready to perform. Putting her heart on her sleeve: at setting the show’s tone from the beginning. So we understand completely, without a doubt, that this show will be an in-depth, thought-provoking look at her life. About the trials and tribulations of a single girl in her thirties, and how she navigates her life in a modern, ever-changing world.

And if I thought this show would be straightforward, it couldn’t be further from the truth. This is fringe, and by fringe, I mean it is meant to be an experience that evokes the unexpected. The opposite of what we expect a show to be.

And Amelie, in sassy sista style, knows exactly what she is doing, as she enters through the back of the room and up the aisle – to the stage, dressed in a pink coat with fluffy, faux fur trim, launching into a harried opening number, showing off her operatic diva style, and letting us know that we must think of her as our ‘emotionally unstable godmother’, and that this is going to be the most intimate 60-minutes of our lives.

Next, she tries to warm us up as if we are in a choir, leading us in singing the scale of DO-RE-MI. I get excited, thinking that she will be coaching us in singing songs that we already know, as she is a singing coach. Songs by Britney Spears comes to mind, or the Spice Girls. Something light, fun and karaoke-like. Something safe and light-hearted.

But as we sing and hold a note, something else happens. Amelie throws out questions to the audience about the lows and lows of online dating and being ghosted.

As we wonder where this is going, I gather that Peters is not only a seasoned contemporary musical theatre performer and a standout operatic warbler, but she also writes songs. And not just any songs about the human condition. But songs that speak of the thoughts that consume the minds of a girl in her thirties, trying to bravely navigate her role in the world. A world where women are still fighting for their own truth. For their chance to shine.

About online dating? Peter’s sings a charming bopping ditty, ‘left, right, left’. Keeping up with the challenging of beauty standards? ‘Lotions, potions and circular motions’ to a 70’s beat. The challenges of driving with a man on a date? ‘Passenger princess’, even inviting a male onstage to hold a steering wheel prop. The value of friendship? ‘I choose mates over dates’. From ‘Life is hard’, lamenting when situations go wrong, to ‘living life filter free’, about stopping our own comparison wheels, to a song called ‘Fairybread’, about ‘adding some sprinkle when you are in a pickle’, Peters sings and story-tells through her songs with the utmost conviction, all of which we are invited to sing-a-long to and absorb along with her.

Peters contemporary musical theatre voice is no doubt superb, and I feel she definitely has the scope to write and perform in this hugely popular ‘Girl Era’ genre, similar to the success of ‘Legally Blonde’ or ‘Heathers’.

If I had to be more critical, it would be that I feel the show needs a bit more structure, if an audience is to be included in the singing. As some songs had lyrics on the projector wall, and some didn’t. I also feel that it could do with better pacing. As in, I would have like to have heard more storytelling monologues without music from Peters, as at times, it was difficult to hear her words with the band playing.

But if you are looking for a pop-infused, funky night where you can just bask in your girly-era, enjoy off-the-cuff singing with great amounts of audience interaction – plus the added bonus of ‘thinking pink’ with a glass of bubbly in your hands, then this is indeed the show for you!

To book tickets to Sink or Sing! A Sing-Along Cabaret, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/sink-or-sing-a-sing-a-long-cabaret.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Adore Händel: A Baroque Birthday Bash of Scandal, Sass and Spectacle

11/10/202611/10/2026 Nicole Salinger🥈⚡🎭😂🎪

Adore Händel’s Birthday Party: Little Black Book Vol. 3 Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

On a balmy Friday night, The Melbourne Fringe has upped-its-ante. As I await to enter its famed Archive room to see Adore Händel’s latest instalment, ‘Adore Händel Birthday Party: Little Black Book Vol. 3’, I am greeted in the foyer by characters walking around in costume: a life-sized lobster encased in glitterati and a death-defying clown in gothic garb, preparing me for a night of theatrical otherworldly-ness.

A sold out evening. A 60-seat theatre. A high-ceiling room – one side laden with tall grey architraves. The other?With pencil-lined burgundy stencilling on the walls. The scene unfolding? I am a guest at the birthday party of Adore Händel, no less. A spectacle-inducing,18th century time-travelling Baroque performer, who is turning 269 years old.

But age is only a number. For in the span of an hour, I am transported to the world of Adore, conceived by Melbourne-based baritone Luke Bell. Where, like an 18th century rock star, he bursts upon the stage singing ‘Sweet time traveller’, laden in the theatrical brilliance of maximalist European court hair, makeup and fancy-pants, party-hearty costuming. Think ornate embellishments. Luxe ribboning. Puffed-up hot and light pink organza sleeves with gold detailing.
And… a larger-than-life, quick-witted personality to match.

The scene I have entered? Adore’s annual birthday fest, where with a flourish-and-a-disney-ditty, plans to launch his little black book documenting a plethora of scandalous dalliances that he has kept a secret, until now.

Proudly singing the “Toreador Song” from Carmen, Adore boasts about the excitement, danger, and glory of his past lovers and ill-advised rendezvous, lost in a bullring of scandal and bon-vivant desire, much to the audiences delight.

But alas? This rapturous little book has disappeared. Sheepish and embarrassed, Adore frantically tries to contact Peter, his long-time assistant, while giving us a dramatic rendition of Queen’s ‘The show must go on’, despite these sets of most unfortunate circumstances.

And so, Adore is on a mission, to rescue his prized possession and set out to capture the unsuspecting wrongdoer of this heinous, unforgiving crime.

Paranoid as an unraveled-pearl-torn-from-its-seam, Adore interacts with the audience to see if they were indeed the culprit – as he searches for means, motive and opportunity.

Hilarity ensues as Adore peeps out at us like a crime-solving Sherlock Holmes. A microscope is shone across our faces. Suspiciously searching with mild interrogation as to who has stolen his prized possession, time is fleeting by. Without a clue to stand on, and desperate for some answers, Adore thinks that perhaps the shifty culprit may be linked to one of his past lovers.

With misty-eyed recollections, brilliantly scripted by Hannah Belle, Adore then sings ‘Bring on the men’, and does the unthinkable – daring to take us on a journey back to his time-travelling past. To surprisingly unveil the stories of three seperate ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ – that may unmask the identity of this high-octane thievery.

And thus, we are taken on a cart-ride of Cinderella-like proportions. From a fiery 18th century ball in Venice; to a late 1930’s horse-riding heist in the American West; to a pop record-deal gone wrong, we are indeed on the case of this mad whodunnit.

But it is Luke Bell who truly steals this show with his tremendous collection of hilarious antics and standout vocal gymnastics. A rendition of a testosterone-fuelled Johnny Cash song, ‘Ring Of Fire’, that rouses the audience to laugh and clap alongside him. His beautifully baritone voice cutting through with deep resonance during ‘Cry Me A River’, with misty-eyed, emotional substance. His instrumental talents of playing a kazoo, and finally, having a glass of Chardonnay while blowing a party blower out as a cigarette. No pun intended.

In all, this Cabaret-style show, lovingly produced by Lydia Keulsen, has sass, style and bawdy humour all rolled-into-one, purely for those of us who just want to be entertained at the highest level. If you love campy wit, a rumpy-bumpy storyline, standout operatic singing and tight-as-a-corset choreography, then this striking show is for you.

To book tickets to Adore Händel’s Birthday Party: Little Black Book Vol. 3, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/adore-haendels-birthday-party.

Photographer: Bri Hammond

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Consent, Connection and Queer Dating: Before We Begin

10/10/2026 Nicole Salinger🥈⚡🎭😂🎪

Before We Begin Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Upon walking into the majestic heritage building of the Trades Hall, it feels like I am being whirled back in time, to a centuries-old educational institution. Much like a long-standing university, with soaring arches, intricate, ornate wall stencils, and wide, uneven stairs. Where I already sense the joy and delight of education within its walls, housing steeply-tiered lecture theatres, seminar rooms, and instructional spaces.

Similar to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films, I am led up to a casual, black box 70-seat lecture theatre called ‘The Quilt Room’, not knowing quite what to expect. Set up like a classroom talk, a primarily young audience mill on in. DJ music plays overhead, and a large projection screen frames the back of the stage, with the show’s moniker, ‘Before We Begin’. This is then followed by a paragraph – explaining that there will be a photographer present, and as such, we are giving consent as to whether we are comfortable with this. If we are not, we can voice this to the team after the show.

Immediately, I sense this is no ordinary show. Judging from the excitement from the audience, and a preview of a poster of a banana encased in the throws of a condom, this is no ordinary lecture either.

For this is pure interactive entertainment on a modern scale not seen yet in conventional theatres or institutions. Is it a confessional show about life experiences? Partly. Is it a show about ‘consent’ in an intimate setting? Definitely. Is it a step-by-step guide for the the world of queer online dating? Most certainly.

For in this show, we are invited by a deeply-charming host, New Zealand-born theatre-maker and master coach Hamish Annan, who turns the idea of consent on-it’s-head. He pushes the boundaries to create an interactive see-saw of participation between him and a live audience of liberal-minded individuals. In particular, on how to embody the idea of consent and sexual awareness in a sometimes, deeply-complicated, queer online dating world.

How does one begin this journey of teaching consent? Well, firstly, with a great deal of honesty. With gentleness. With sensitivity. By not only challenging us with what consent looks and sounds like; but with the likes of ‘showing’. By using the tools of interaction and participation. By getting the audience to choose to engage in formula-tic exercises – in order to open up their minds to the fact that life is about the choices we make; and that we have the right to exercise these, when it comes to our sexual wellbeing.

In so doing, Annan manages to gradually break through the third wall and engage the audience in a well-written plethora of priceless moments – from enlightening and hilarious; to spicy and risqué; but amazingly so, all within a safe environment.

But as with most shows at the Melbourne Fringe, this queer-based show is not for the faint-hearted for those who choose to participate. To be frank, this is an interactive, volunteer-based audience game-show for those who are not shy, but proud of their identity. For those who seek to learn, or who are just seeking to have some participatory fun. Always being asked the same question repeatedly throughout: How was that for you?

For Annan’s real mission? Is to teach queer dating around the element of safety. To learn one’s rights around consent, as in the past, one had to find this out the hard way. When, if one was stuck in an uncompromising position, one felt silenced, or deeply misunderstood. Where one would have to suffer under a cloud of shame.

Therefore, Annan pushes the limits in this show, not to necessarily shock the audience on purpose, but to remind them of their worth.

The show’s antics that the audience chooses to participate in are no doubt cheeky, slightly racy, and sex positive. They are mainly the truisms of the actions that define the queer dating culture. One’s chosen by Annan to entertain his audience greatly.

From a ‘touch me’ consensual coaching lesson to playing a game of Rizz to a 1-minute dominance exercise. From a darkened slow dance featuring mobile flashlights swaying, to a ‘deep throat’ condom lesson on a banana promoting safe sex.

Annan is an example of a unique presenter worth his weight in comedy gold, leaving the audience in stitches.
Yet underneath it all, he sticks to his own personal mission – of keeping the power of human connection alive. Of having the courage to tell his own personal story of overcoming sexual violation. Of being able to evoke more perspective and positivity to queer experiences of a sexual nature, for those who are still trying to navigate it themselves.

In all, this is a highly-entertaining show that is reliant on audience participation. It breaks the rules and smashes stereotypes, leaving you smiling and satisfied; from top to toe.

To book tickets to Before We Begin, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/before-we-begin.

Photographer: John Rata Photography

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Subscribe to What's The Show

Connect Online