Concrete Playground

I kind of thought 'childlike wonder' was a lame cliche until I found myself with a tiny nephew who is constantly amazed by things like "it's an object that's red!" and "hey that's my hand!" That's kind of the feeling one gets from this show, with every single act who comes on having some kind of "OH MY GOODNESS HOW DO THEY EVEN?!" factor. Developed by the performers behind La Clique, it's cabaret/variety show on the trademark tiny circular stage, and it is totally clap-your-hands-with-glee escapist oohs and ahs.

There's a performer with a voice that manages to uphold the promises of a serious Gown all over in gold sequins, men in pinstripes who perform feats of acrobatic strength and newspaper-reading, someone climbing dangerously high up a pile of chairs and balancing there, a contortionist who twists his body into soi-disant "rude and amusing shapes", someone in the bath, Shakespeare, things to shout and sing along to, a lady who sings and does some rather startling things with red satin handkerchiefs, and things done in land and in the air with hula hoops that you would not believe.

Some deeply covetable makeup, too, where they do something that makes it look like your lips are made of the same stuff as is used for Easter Show/Schools Spectacular-style novelty sparkly bowler hats. Totally eye-widing.