Take walk on the darker side of the Adelaide Fringe with Something Wicked… A Bewitching Burlesque. Seedoeatreview was fortunate to catch this show last year at Nineteen Ten, but this time, Miss Eli Fury and her coven of witches have brought something completely different to the stage. Consisting of five fabulous and ferocious female performers, it was fitting that I saw this show on International Women’s Day, and much to my surprise, it was the fastest hour of fun, laughs and terrifying screams I’ve had at this year’s Adelaide Fringe!
Hosted by Porcelain Alice, Something Wicked is a show that mixes tantalising burlesque with spellbinding circus and magic tricks. Maybe skip dinner because once you see razor blade eating, sword swallowing and standing on a bed of nails, you may not feel like eating. I’ve never seen Alice MC or perform before, but after her performance on Friday night, I could quite happily watch her deliver a show all by herself. Her sass mouth, charisma and the way she engages with the audience is some of the best I’ve seen, and she helped move the show along at a cracking pace. I’ll be honest with you readers: Miss Eli Fury scares me. The character she portrays is fierce and unrelenting. You’ll be scared too once you see her on the aerial chains and eating fire. And, if you’re in the audience, don’t make eye contact with her, because she’ll scold you worse than the fire she swallows. And, just when I thought things would sweeten up a little with the arrival of Bella Babydoll, she showed a side of her that made me want to run out of Fool’s Paradise and all the way back home. This woman has some issues she’s currently dealing with. Rounding out this quintet is magician Erica Van Lee and aerialist Shauna Johnson. It might be best not to sneak a kiss from Erica because it will probably cut you deep. while Shauna appears to be the most stable of the bunch, her savage aerial skills and aggressive lyra manoeuvres tell me that something sinister lurks beneath the surface of this enchanting woman.
Something Wicked is a show that lives up to its name and then some. It’s one of the few performances that I’ve seen this year that I left wanting more. Could it be one of the best shows of the Adelaide fringe or have just been caught up in a witch’s spell? I think the first one. Enjoy!
FIVE STARS *****
Reviewed by Shane Berketa