What better way to celebrate the Australian Mardi Gras weekend than with a colourful cabaret party with the boylesque Briefs Boys? Queensland-based cult drag cabaret favourite Briefs Factory has returned to this year's Adelaide Fringe season and while they are operating on a smaller capacity thanks to the C word, it has anything but diminished their glowing and impressionable presence in the performing arts scene.
Putting together an illustrious variety show that incorporates burlesque, drag, cabaret, comedy, and circus, an hour with the Briefs Boys leaves the audiences in a tantalizing trance of sorts. Throughout the performance, audiences are welcomed into a world of camp pride, where we are treated to act after glorious act, each showcasing a level of limitless talent amidst the genderless construct.
MC'd by thy holy spirit Fez Fa'anana, who leaves the audience in a fit of stitches with her sharp-witted jabs and her subtle yet sassy digs at op-shop finds including a certain red...dress, shall we say?...whilst being a mean, lean, busy mummy machine, it shapes up to be a welcoming community of camaraderie where style and substance thrive at its paramount.
Kicking off the show, we are treated to Thomas Worrell's brilliant circus act via aerials and hoops, which combines the likes of Elsa from Frozen and Sia's Chandelier gracefully and effortlessly. Next up is Luke Hubbard aka Nastia Lookin, who absolutely nails it to Lady Gaga's Donatella playing in the background with incredible flexibility and agility to make the stage the ultimate Victoria Secret runway. We are then encouraged to geek out with baby-faced but not-so-innocent Louis Biggs, who will make playing with a yo-yo an irresistible experience that cannot be unseen moving forward - not that that's a bad thing! Kween Kong's act will exceed your expectations as she exhibits a gravity-defying physicality, insane acrobatics, and wins the heart of the audiences with her gender-bending drag performance to appeal to anyone and everyone. Brett Rosengreen's sultry little number will put you in a mood for some late night debauchery, while Dale Woodbridge-Brown whips some roses into mere petals in a way that will ignite a kink (or few) within. Bringing in the show to a close with a delightful splash, Mark Winmill will make everyone's jaws drop and leave everyone at the edge of their seats, as he beautifully presents with a birdbath-based trapeze act that you would deem unsafe for attempting to do it whilst completely soaked. I can confirm that having watched this show twice this season alone, Winmill has left me speechless on both occasions and successfully brings the show to a close with a visual spectacle of a performance.
It's important not to lose sight of the impeccable circus acts that transpire through the cheeky and flirtatious exchanges between the performers and audiences. With each act, expect it to start off silly and end with an explosive bang via the shock factor that attracts a sea of gasps from every part of the tent space. Blurring the lines around what 'masculinity' and 'femininity' would typically look like, each performer pushes the boundaries in the sexiest manner possible and through their collective efforts, the audiences are implored to practise the mantras around visibility, accessibility, inclusivity, and fierceness that deserves to be applauded. This is a show that will delight with its raunchy, risqué, and ravenous energy that fills every crevice with queer-inclusive charm, finesse, dexterity, and flexibility that needs to be seen to be believed.