Let me begin with a list of Elixir’s achievements, in no specific order:

The most impressive from-the-dead-resurrection since AD 31
A perfectly executed Michael Jackson Thriller tribute
Human-scale snakes and ladders
Not one, not two, but four dramatic budgie smuggler reveals
At least ten charges of faux battery (think frying pans, poles, ladders, knives…)
A re-enactment of Raygun’s 2024 Olympic routine
Break dancing much, much better than Raygun’s 20204 Olympic routine

Really putting the variety in variety show. Elixir stresses you out and calms you down over and over again, and then, just as you’re at the edge of your seat and end of your wits, breaks into a Bee Gees’ flashmob. The experience is well represented by this note, really more of a plea, that I wrote to myself during a particularly harrowing knife throwing segment of the show:

The tall white and handsome troupe of four enter in their cute little matching outfits. In a nice patriarchal reversal, a cool female voice orders the four fumbling ‘scientists’ around as they conduct a series of experiments on themselves in deeply unscientific conditions (distinct lack of PPE), trying to discover the ‘elixir of life’.

This, of course, is mostly an excuse to do a bunch of ‘dumb shit’ left to their own devices in their on-stage lab. Fire! Pectoral Flexing! Games of Chicken, and a decidedly high-pitched ‘woooo’ every time one of the acrobats flashed their abdominals followed.

At times the humour was a little too pubescent boy for me (peeing in a bottle jokes…) but overall I loved that the group, despite being at the top of their circus game, is not afraid to be silly. Both embodying and making fun of male sexuality and ‘bro-ish’ culture.

The circus skills were insane. The crew is all multi-talented. Thomas Gordan, for example, moved from bars to aerial, and break dancing in a few minutes. Liam Dummer’s aerial straps performance was the standout of the evening for me. Props to the lighting team for casting unbelievable shadows onto the dome of The Vault tent all whilst making it seem as if Dummer’s ribs were made out of glow in the dark sticks – truly WHACK.

And finally, if you have not seen a teeterboard before (which I had not). It is basically a giant see-saw that grown men jump up and down on and flip off…highly recommend.

4 Stars

Lilah Shapiro 

Elixir Revived continues at 7.55pm at The Vault at Fool’s Paradise in Victoria Square until Sun, 23 March. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au., or get your tickets HERE.

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