Reviewed by: The List
Review by Jo Laidlaw | 23 February 2024
LIMBO: The Return is a beast of a show, the follow-up to a worldwide touring smash. And it’s clear there’s heaps of affection for both show and cast in Adelaide; the Garden Of Unearthly Delight’s huge spiegeltent is packed midweek with an excited crowd ready to be wowed by LIMBO’s blend of circus, burlesque, acrobatics and deconstructed live music. Sxip Shirey sets the pace, a non-verbal MC who lets the air-horn do the talking; what follows is an explosion of colour, light, sound and skill. There’s no doubt the LIMBO cast are all superhumans, each a powerhouse of individual talent. Slack rope king David Marco swings over the heads of the audience, Hilton Denis’ taps are sublime and fire-eating Clara Fable burns bright. There’s a particularly lovely tilt and sway routine on Chinese poles: when Maria Moncheva swoops down to borrow a patron’s phone (mid air!) with a cheeky wink, we’re reminded that these titans are human too. It’s a lovely touch. There are a lot of mini-burlesque routines, usually covering a set-up, which slow the pace somewhat and make you yearn to see more of Fable and Moncheva in full-out action mode. That said, this is a high-energy, high-entertainment show and, as far as the crowd is concerned, Shirey and co can do no wrong.