If you are after a Thor-oughly entertaining night out, MARVELous the Show is the ultimate whirlwind of chaotic fun! Whether you are a Marvel Universe expert or only vaguely familiar with the characters, MARVELous the Show has a glorious mix of parodies and pop culture references that will leave any Fringe-goer in stitches.
MARVELous the Show takes the audience through a variety of acts, from commercial dance, aerial stunts, fight scenes and sing-a-longs. Created and directed by Samwise Holmes with Sally Jackson, the cast delivers an exciting smorgasbord of nostalgic scene re-creations that completely tear apart and parody the original.
The opening night vibes at The Flamingo in Gluttony were high. Amongst the patrons were some of Adelaide’s finest cosplayers dressed as the beloved characters. Inside the venue, Deadpool’s pre-show foreshadows the hilarious chaos that is about to ensue. Played by Justin Wise, Deadpool flitters about the seats, hurling jokes and his usual foul-mouthed banter at the audience members.
Wise sets the tone for what is to come, highlighting the cast’s unapologetically silly approach to performance. Wise continues to pop up multiple times throughout the show with his oversized storybook as the show’s comedic yet unorthodox narrator. He even hijacks his own special song and dance moment, much to the audience’s utter delight!
From the very first number, it’s clear this show isn’t here to make sense; it’s here to make you laugh and sing along, without questioning what in the world you are witnessing. The female ensemble members come out of the gate with command for their Captain America X showgirl number, singing along to his re-written theme song: ‘The Man with America’s Ass.’ The number ends with costumes (designed by Maxine Mueller) being torn off, cheers erupting, and the madness continues!
Sarah Jane Kelly gives an electrifying performance as Lady Thor. From her epic stunts to her aerial work, she flies above the stage attached to the Mjölnir like a pro. Luka Lea-Vestic and Emma Wong’s choreography is sharp, and the cast powerfully execute the steps with allure, highlighting the talents of these professionally trained dancers.
Hilarious duo Michael Boyle and Jacob McPherson have the audience gasping for air as they create perhaps the world’s greatest love story – Captain America and Bucky. With minimal body parts remaining covered, they flip and dance without dropping the perfectly placed shields. Their outrageous re-creation concludes with the iconic Dirty Dancing lift that is clearly a crowd favourite.
Now, musical theatre fans, you are also in for a treat. Because somehow, the cast manages hilarious Marvel x Wicked and Marvel x Hamilton crossovers that just work? As Lady Loki, vocal powerhouse Andrea Zappacosta mirrors Elphaba’s iconic ‘Defying Gravity’ number. She nails the riff and the infamous transition that leads to her soaring above the dancers below. However, in true MARVELous fashion, Loki-ba is singing about not letting the critics bring her ratings down – taking a satirical dig at Loki’s TV series.
The production value of this show alone is something to Marvel at. Production design by Dan Potra features scaffolding and staircases used as the set, amplified with lasers and incredible lighting sequences designed by James Wallis.
MARVELous the Show is the perfect storm of absurdity with a gleeful mishmash of Marvel’s iconic characters. The only goal here is to just have a blast!