After receiving the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment & Family performance this year, La Soirée is headed back to Brisbane for another season starting today at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). Set to celebrate the show’s 10th Anniversary, this three week run is set to feature bth new and crowd-favourite acts, delivering a cocktail of cabaret, burlesque, circus sideshow and contemporary variety to all whom attend.
Those who enter the Playhouse theatre will find themselves in an unfamiliar venue, with the originally 850 seat theatre transformed into an intimate venue which see’s everyone only mere metres away from the action taking place. Inspired by salon-style circus spaces, the audience is seated entirely on-stage, with a variety of ‘posh’, ‘ringside’ and ‘bleachers’ seating available. In my opinion, there is no “bad” seating, with even the cheaper seats receiving good views.
QPAC invites everyone to leave their troubles at the door and be prepared for a night of thrills, shocks, laughter and disbelief.
The Brisbane season cast includes aerial gymnast Bath Boy, the leather-bursting reincarnation of Freddie Mercury Mario Queen of the Circus, the tap dancing, roller skating, razor sharp machete juggling Nate Cooper, the sassy physical comedienne with a cute-as-a-button demeanour Jess Love, the delightfully devilish and cordial The English Gents and the overall bon vivant Asher Treleaven. The Brisbane season also features the dynamic Swedish duo David and Fofo (Pictured above) who are on a mission to change the world with a ping pong ball, Captain Frodo; the son of a famous Norse magician and famed the world over for bending, contorting and manipulating his body into shapes that are as astonishing as they are unnatural, and finally Montreal’s rollicking, sexy and hilarious puppet feast for adults, Cabaret Decadanse.
Brett Haylock | Creative Producer of La Soirée
Ten years ago when we assembled this rag tag group of fabulous and freaky artists from the edges of society, vaudeville and variety were dirty words. Entertainment guides didn’t even have cabaret sections back then. Now you can’t swing a leopard-print bra in London’s West End or Downtown Manhattan without hitting a cabaret artiste who’s at the very top of their game.
It’s been an incredible experience for our international family of performers to see audiences flock back to the genre and I’m more than a little proud of the role LA SOIRÉE has had in that. In excess of 10 million people have seen our show around the globe and it would appear that the general public’s desire for old fashioned entertainment where the performers are working harder than the lights, is stronger than ever.
Although the most expensive “posh seating” have all sold out, there are still limited Ringside Seats and Bleachers seating available for purchase through QPAC. Sessions are being held at 7:30PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 6:30PM and 9:30PM on Friday and Saturday; and 6:30PM on Sunday. There are no matinee sessions being made available for the show. Parents are also encouraged to not being their children along, as the show does contain some adult content.
Expect more articles regarding La Soirée on The Otaku’s Study in the coming days.