one4review | On 15, Aug 2022

My very first review in 2016 was Briefs Factory at the Assembly Hall at the Mound and what an experience it was (I’ve only just recovered).

The atmosphere in the Lafayette tent was electric and at least this time around I knew why. More than half the audience had seen them before and the show was completely sold out so that says it all really.

For those of you who haven’t seen anything presented by Briefs Factory before – they are a group of outrageous cabaret performers who set upon the stage with circus tricks, burlesque, drag, dancing, comedy, music and theatre.

Shivanna was our fantastic host for the evening, providing her sassy humour and keeping the show flowing throughout. In this show they have a live band where the lead singer, Sahara Beck takes centre stage. Her voice is absolutely amazing and the original songs compliment the outstanding trapeze and circus tricks throughout the show. However, I did start to feel I was more at her concert as the rest of the performers took a back seat. However, that’s not to say there weren’t any of the usual tricks and outrageous routines – from a hilarious treadmill workout, amazing burlesque (waring full frontal nudity included) and a breathtaking routine on a “Dita Von Teese” esque oversized glass bowl of water, and a trapeze. It is absolutely incredible how easy he made this trapeze performance look, given he was covered in water.

This is a great late night cabaret. It wasn’t quite the mayhem and madness of the 2016 show and I wanted to see more of their brilliant trapeze/circus/burlesque performances (but maybe that’s a good thing to leave you wanting more). However I understand they want to mix it up a bit and to be fair Sahara is a brilliant singer and performer so I can see the attraction of including her in Bite Club this year.

****

Reviewed by Lynn

Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows (Lafayette)

20:45 (1hr 10)

16th – 21st, 23rd – 27th