Hugh Sheridan has been a staple in the Adelaide Fringe season for as long as I can remember. And yet, despite having experienced his vivacious energy and his rocking vocal skills, HUGHMAN is a performance that raises the roof to unspeakable levels of quality entertainment.
Creating a show that offers audiences with an immersive, sensory, and visual spectacle, HUGHMAN brings together a broad range of exceptional talent in the form of tap dancers, musicians (saxophonists and flautists galore!), singers, and acrobats, who leave you at the edge of your seats and begging for more.
Set up in the gorgeous open-air theatre The Moa, this section of Gluttony comes alive with a makeshift DJ station that is manned by the man himself and what transpires is a series of acts that will push you to get on your feet and start stomping. Considering how we are the only place in the world where we can (finally) dance again and experience the electric festival atmosphere, you can only imagine the ecstasy of everyone attending the show with their willingness to get their groove on.
While Hugh spends a bit of time by his DJ station, it doesn't take long for him to come out of that shell and set the mood of the show as one that is filled with radiant energy, seriously good vibes, and offering space for more fun to filter in as the show goes ahead. Despite a few technical glitches at the start, we are able to experience that unique crooner voice that has made Hugh a monumental icon in the performing arts biz. Throughout the performance, he is seen to consistently bounce from one end of the stage to the other, which further envelops the audience into his colorful and charismatic bubble and makes us all feel like we're part of this amazing mosh party (all whilst being COVID-safe, of course)!
Each performer is adorned in the silky Camilla in Love attire, which complements their fluid movement and impeccable choreography, leaving audiences in a trance of sorts. There is always someone on stage who unfailingly not only promises but goes above and beyond to deliver with their ability to delight and dazzle their audiences, whilst having a killer soundtrack in the background to accompany their energy. Speaking of the soundtrack - it couldn't have been curated any better. With a list of songs that will elevate your inner queerness in all its might (think of the Jacksons, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Olivia Newton-John, and Sinatra, to name a few), we are treated to a collection of ear candy that makes your rainbow heart beat strongly and with a sense of freedom, choice, and acceptance that might as well be considered elements of the LGBTQIA anthem. It also adds to the disco-esque atmosphere that makes this section of Gluttony come alive at its brightest hour.
When you take the focus away though, from the fierce and formidable performers to Hugh's narrative that is peppered between acts, we see the underlying authenticity that makes up for the crux of the show. We have this man who was a boy from Adelaide and is now standing in front of us as a successful adult who has made a decent living for himself and is also a proud member of the LGBTQIA community. We have a man who has been on a journey of his own, where he invites us to learn about the influences and the experiences that led to a sense of self-discovery and self-identity. We have a man who is at the peak of exhilaration, as he lives in the moment and basks in all the joys of loving and being loved. Overall, we are shown through the collective forms of dance, cabaret, song, and everything in between about what love and happiness is all about - and you leave the space invigorated with the idea of the endless possibilities to achieve this similar moment of euphoria, long after the show is over.