Sirqus Alfon – I Am Somebody | The Rechabite | Until 16 Feb | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
In a festival overflowing with delicious performances celebrating sexuality and all things salacious, Sirqus Alfon bring something refreshingly different to this year’s Fringe World lineup.
The Sweden-based trio of musicians and circus artists bring a wholesome, unique and delightfully geeky performance to the Rechabite with I Am Somebody.
Opening with a joyfully silly sequence that pays homage to character select screens and arcade gaming, the troupe bring a singular, interactive multimedia experience unlike anything I’ve seen before during the Fringe World season.
The multi-talented group of performers are hard to categorise. They function as a band on stage, with front-man Babham on the beatboxing and vocals, Norwegian death metal drummer Ajve on percussion and Emilio on guitar. But in a show much greater than the sum of its parts, these musicians also bring circus skills and comedy chops to the spectacular show.
Now I’m not usually one who delights in audience interaction, but Sirqus Alfon makes the crowd part of the show with their very special set in a rare and stunning way that would make even the most delicate wallflower feel comfortable.
Without getting into specifics, as this is a show loaded with incredible surprises, the entire performance is bursting with infectious energy. Sirqus Alfon reminds me of the boys I grew up hanging out with; three guys with a contagious love of play, distilled and elevated for the international stage. We’re talking slapstick humour, uplifting tunes, video games and, of course, lasers.
These three Peter Pans of circus bring something joyful, wholesome and nostalgic – delivered in a package unlike any other – with I Am Somebody.
If these boys aren’t on your roster yet, I’d recommend making the journey to this top tier show.
See Sirqus Alfon – I Am Somebody until Sunday 16th February.
Leigh Andrew Hill is an editor at OUTinPerth, with a BA from the University of Western Australia in Media Studies & Art History. Since 2005, Leigh has studied and practiced journalism, film-making, script-writing, language, contemporary performance and visual arts. Leigh is also a freelancer writer, and producer and presenter on RTRFM 92.1.
