Week five

Whereas last week in laughter yoga I got the giggles and it was brilliant, this week my laughter was totally and completely unrelenting, loud and belly-aching from Captain Frodo at La Soiree.  I actually had to apologise to the couple next to me for laughing so loud (I know what my laugh can sound like) but fortunately they told me "its ok, its making us laugh more" - what sweet sweet people (and probably liars...)

La Soiree, from what I understand is many of the same performers from the award winning Clique show and have set up shop behind the National Theatre in a makeshift big top, although rather than the traditional circus tent that is often vast and distant, this one is gorgeously intimate with only a very small circular stage and the performers being so close you can see their sweat and everything else on top.

So who is this Captain Frodo?  A vertically challenged man with hairy feet and a penchant for sailing?  Not quite. More like a penchant for freaking people out with the incredible feats of contortion and bendiness he is able to manipulate due to the fact that his whole body is double jointed.  My friend Michael and I watched in sheer amazement and only a tiny amount of disgust at this odd-looking Norwegian throwing his body through the head of a tennis racquet.  His body just flails and flops around like a giant German sausage. I was in pain from the laughter.  He does it all with such a charm and frivolity and is an act hard to surpass.

Next up was Mooky Cornish; a Canadian comedienne and clown playing a rather awkward and clumsy but very astute character called Gloria who absolutely triumphed with her unique singing and story-telling duet with an unsuspecting member of the audience.  Her comic timing while unfolding her love story using every angle and every body part was just genius.

What I liked so much about La Soiree was the alternating of performances - there was never two similar acts one after the other,  so there might be a feat of strength and agility but it would always be followed by a more comedic performance.  As well as being a cleverly curated show it also sought to challenge the obvious female sexuality that is associated with burlesque by having oodles of exposed male flesh on display.  Taut muscles, sculpted bodies and rather saucy looking men came in the form of two stunning acts; The English Gents and David O'Mer.

Firstly the English Gents, two rather dapper looking gentlemen who proceeded to perform ridiculous feats of acrobatic impossibility while still maintaining the English stiff upper lip and reading copies of the FT.  Their strength and balance was as impressive as any Cirque de Soleil performer, but their dry wit and political underpants added a certain je ne said quoi.

David O'Mer, for me was the ultimate performer.  La Soiree's website describes him as "an Adonis in jeans".  I couldn't put it better myself.  His aerial bath performance was just insane.  Watching him writhe      around in the bath while combining elements of ballet and aerial display with such a physically stunning body was unbelievably sexy.  While getting some of the audience in the front row splashed I think some others may have got a bit wet as well.

Perhaps my favourite of the evening was Le Gateau Chocolat.  I'd seen him in an article about cabaret stars in Time Out just a couple of weeks ago but I had no idea what a joy to behold he would be.  He is a rather larger than life opera-singing diva whose presence I undoubtedly felt the most out of all the acts due to his most fabulous body-hugging outfits, bitchy but affectionate banter and mostly his killer baritone voice, belting out stupendous renditions of modern pop and rock tracks.

The line-up at La Soiree changes all the time, there are about 25 artists on rotation that make up this totally hilarious, weird, gross, stunning, dysfunctional and mental show.  Go and see it as my review does not do it justice.  Book tickets here but do it quick as the last performance is February 27th.

Next week, heaven help me, I'm going speed dating.