He’s, She’s, They’s, and everyone in between—before you take your seats, please note that these shows have strong elements of horror and pretty heavy sexual themes. So, if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, I would recommend steering clear. However, if that is your precise cup of tea, please sit, get cozy, and read on!
Witch – Sydney Spiegeltent
You spot it from a distance away—the circus top of Sydney Spiegeltent. Lush floral pieces usher you into a gorgeous seating area with picnic tables and toe-tapping music as fellow patrons gather around to drink wine and form a gentle chattering sound floor. You see a man in dark dungarees, smash-your-skull boots, and rainbow hair announce that ‘Witch is about to start!’ and feel a little flutter in your stomach. You have seen trailers online, but will this circus/burlesque show do them justice?
As you are ushered into your seats, you see a lot of couples, some ringside, some sitting further back, some just fully making out, and thank goodness you brought a companion. I would not recommend going to these shows alone as they absolutely need to be experienced with someone else.
As the lights dim, the show begins with a stunning, long, flowing ‘I just killed my husband and now have all of his money’ kinda robe. A haunting voiceover talks about the history of Witches and all they have been through (and what they still go through today) as well as how they enact their vengeance on the angry townspeople around them.
Now, honestly, apart from the theming of Witch, I am not sure this show had much of a story, but it was an EPIC, highly technical, and mouthwatering show. This show remained witch-themed throughout and never failed to remind you not to screw with them.
Who knew witches could be so deadly, death-defying, and sexy? Not me! This show showcased a variety of stunts including fire twirling, aerial acrobatics (one of which she was hooked on by a loop IN HER HAIR—an utterly dizzying affair), pointe work, whips, chains, deadly heels, and a killer vibe.
Not only do you get to see some truly wicked acts, you also get to see a few different body types. Some had tattoos, curves, cheese-grater abs, and all had excellent stage presence. Add in some wicked eyeliner and makeup, and you have a SHOW! The flow of the show was smooth too, and while the acts did change, the excitement level just seemed to climb the further into the show we got.
I would like to make a special mention to the curvy fire twirler at the end of the show—this costume was spectacular and had mirrors on her gloves which helped bounce around different beams of light, rather like a sexual human disco ball. This elevated her from ‘woman on stage’ to a being of monstrous power and sex appeal. Add in the fire and the tasteful nudity? This scene was hot in at least 2 ways, if not more, without compromising the performer.
For those that chose ringside seats, they got a fun little up-close act which looked stunning, but did break the immersion a little bit if you couldn’t see it like us at the back. They did bring this back home to everyone though, leaving the audience virtually drooling for more. All in all, this was a highly seductive, moanful, and scream-worthy banger of a show!
Mansion
Before we begin, this show is already being set! Creepy dolls and a crotchety old man wandered around the audience creating an unsettling and curious vibe. This was further amplified by incense and fog gathering as the atmosphere built. With wine in hand, I settled into my seat still hot from the previous show. As a bit of a spoiler, Mansion has quite a different vibe from Witch with a lot more horror elements and an emphasis on being less risqué. However, as Witch is an extra add-on, most of the audience had not seen the preshow and therefore probably expected nothing apart from what they got.
As an audience, we are told that this is a tour of the Mansion which the Walker family have just moved into. They have just lost the father figure of their family and through this, discover the haunting of the Mansion. Highly skilled acts and a rather touching story follow as you are guided through the trauma this family goes through.
Mansion definitely did not lack in exciting acts to whet the palate with silks, ropes, incredible displays of strength, skill, and control as well as some really incredible dance storytelling on display. This was all whilst still maintaining a strong horror theme through costumes and atmosphere.
But, that is where this kind of ended for me. I was still in awe of all these incredible acts; however, there were some pretty jarring tone shifts that almost gave me a bit of whiplash. At one point we went from a highly seductive scene to a touching and beautiful father/son pas de deux (duet dance). This happened a few times and, while that might have been what they were going for, it was a little confusing to both me and my companion. There was also a lot going on on stage, so it was a little difficult to keep track of all the elements.
As someone who was almost gagging for the seduction to continue, Mansion didn’t deliver in this area like Witch did. It did have more story though, so I suppose it depends on what you like more.
From a technical standpoint, there is no doubting the absolute skill and work put into this show. The staging was refreshing, playing with all areas of the tent, and the lighting hit all the right places on the performers. There were also some very touching, beautiful, and almost heartbreaking scenes which really struck an empathetic chord in both me and my companion.
I also did want to give props to the sound designer; there were some very stirring songs. If you haven’t heard Taylor Swift’s Love Story in a minor key whilst watching a sexy ghost seduce a very attractive and lost young man, you absolutely have not lived. However, some songs just do not belong in a minor key and almost bordered on a little corny which broke the horror atmosphere a bit. As someone who does voice acting professionally, I also struggled with some of the voiceovers. Some of it just seemed a little insincere and broke my immersion a few times.
As a whole, I did leave this show feeling a little meh. Was it a technical dream? Absolutely! Were they a very attractive cast? Yes siree! It was just a shame to leave feeling a little confused and underwhelmed by the story. However, if you do want a saucy, horrifying, and tantalizing show to behold, give it a watch at Sydney Spiegeltent!
