one4review | On 11, Aug 2025

La Clique celebrated its 21st anniversary at the Fringe with a splash—literally and figuratively—inside the iconic Famous Spiegeltent at St Andrew Square. The atmosphere is an irresistible cocktail of circus, burlesque, and razor-sharp comedy, delivering moments that are both breathtaking and deliciously irreverent.

From the very first act, LJ Marles makes waves—immersing himself in a bathtub of water before launching into sublime aerial feats, punctuated by cheeky splashes toward the front row. Later, he returns in killer-heeled boots for a jaw-dropping aerial disco routine to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra”.

These artists make the impossible look effortless, but beneath the glamour lies extraordinary strength, skill, and courage. David Pereira’s emotional aerial silk performance was utterly mesmerising, while Masha Terentieva charmed the crowd with an elegant, gymnastic hotel-cart routine. Mikael Bres delivered a jaw-dropping, gravity-defying performance on the Chinese Pole that captivated the audience from start to finish. His seamless execution of Spiderman-like acrobatics combined extraordinary athleticism with remarkable ease, making an otherwise impossible act appear effortless.

Of course, La Clique wouldn’t be La Clique without a dash of delicious chaos. Daredevil Chicken delivered a vaudevillian quick-change gone hilariously awry, rescued only by an audience-donated sock. Pereira later reappeared in full comic mode, lathered in shaving foam in a routine where absolutely nothing was left to the imagination.

The clowning continued with Tara Boom, whose uproarious popcorn-making act had the audience in stitches. She returned later with a remarkable display of umbrella-balancing precision. Aurora Kurth added a playful cabaret twist, revealing unexpected surprises from beneath her dress, while the legendary Ursula Martinez—coaxed out of retirement—revived her iconic “Hanky Panky” magic striptease, a nostalgic nod to the show’s origins.

La Clique is a wildly thrilling, adults-only experience—slick, sexy, and joyously unpredictable. With its polished execution, varied acts, and cheeky charm, it’s an unmissable highlight of the Fringe.

*****

Reviewed by Lynn

The Famous Spiegeltent (St Andrew Square Gardens)

30th – 24th (except 4th,5th,11th,12th,18th,19th)

18:30 (1 hr 40 minutes) Also 21:00 on specific dates noted in the program)