Melbourne Reviews

Melbourne Fringe is an interesting beast of a festival. From up-and-coming comedians to established cabaret stars or the weird and wild first timers it’s an exciting time in Melbourne, where everyone and every type of act is welcomed, nay, encouraged.

The 2023 Festival sees the return of fan favourite and award-winning Head First Acrobats with their cheeky history lesson into Greek mythology, GODZ. Winner of the People’s Choice award in 2022, GODZ is an adults-only fever dream (in the best possible way).

Part burlesque, part circus, part slapstick and all talent, the four acrobats that make up the cast are positively divine as they fly through air and achieve impossible feats of strength, all with their signature comedic flair.

The crew of high-flying hedonistic heroes include, Jordan Twartz as Dionysus (God of Wine), whose cup never runneth over thanks to his remarkable skills as a diablo artist, Liam Dummer as Cupid (God of Love), whose death-defying climb into the heavens was as terrifying as it was impressive and Thomas Gorham as Apollo, (God of the Sun) who makes spinning on his head while flying into the air look effortless. Joined by Cal Harris as the long-suffering Hercules, Harris proves his (demi) god-like strength over-and-over, all the while entertaining the audience with sassy and enigmatic nature.

The foursome balance tension and super-human stunts with a naughty silliness of old-school vaudeville. While they are all gifted acrobats, their storytelling ability and audience interaction make this show delightfully engaging. Circus is typically shown in a round, however given the provocative nature of the show I would suggest a proscenium stage might be better suited for this performance (my eyes are still watering thanks to my view from the side!).

The 65-minute show feels like 15 and has an epic party atmosphere. Head First Acrobats definitely know how to entertain and captivate an audience. Every moment is filled with hilarious physical comedy, death-defying tricks and is backed by an absolute banging soundtrack.

If you’re easily offended by swearing, nudity or affronts to religion perhaps GODZ isn’t the show for you. Fortunately, Head First Acrobats have a children friendly circus show, PreHysterical for adults and kids as well as another 18+ performance, Crème de la crème.

GODZ is such a ridiculous and delightful production, the hard working and dedicated cast are truly remarkable in both their ability and stage craft. It’s the perfect antidote to the mid-week blues, or better yet a great way to kick off your weekend. You can’t help but love these cheeky, charming acrobats and their wild antics.

Related Articles

Searching for Betty | 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival

Searching for Betty is a beautifully constructed story, that was thoroughly entertaining and made me a little bit nostalgic...

Crème de la Crème | Head First Acrobats

No rest for the wicked – these four people must be some of the hardest-working artists at the Melbourne Fringe...

A Very Jewish Christmas Carol | Melbourne Theatre Company

Just like the source material, this is a morality tale, a fantasy to reflect dysfunction, rectify disappointment and repair disillusion but legacy and intergenerational grief are tenacious task...