Welcome back to the seventies.
A land of mirror balls, party lights and a general ratio of 20% clothing to 80% flesh. A time when music was so damn danceable, you couldn’t help but bust a move with a hip jutting right and an arm pointing skyward; a salute to the gods of disco.
Velvet was the standout show of the 2016 Adelaide Fringe, following the formula of this new era of entertainment, which combines a string of variety of acts, set against the backbeat of a great soundtrack.
Velvet, captures the vibe of the era that made its drawcard performer Marcia Hines a star, although I dare say Marcia is the only cast member who experienced that decade for themselves. Saying that, her timeless beauty and evergreen effervescence renders her ageless, voice flawless and her smile radiant.
While her household name on the showbill, will lend itself to ticket sales, there is a sense that Marcia accidentally turned up at the wrong gig. She could have sold out a solo show, so her decision to join the cast of Velvet, is curious. Did she owe someone a favour? Needless to say, the audience enjoyed her presence and performance.
The show makes a loose attempt at a storyline, in aid of tying all the elements together but its not profound enough to warrant an investment into the plight of the young man who is ultimately seduced by the glitz and glamour of the ego era.
However, there are some wonderful standout performances, namely Tom Oliver’s acoustic rendition of Staying Alive and Craig Reid’s cheekily cheerful hula hoop routine described in the The Adelaide Advertiser “the highlight is the incredible hula hoop performer, who delivers the most joy-filled performance I’ve ever seen. Seriously, if he was any happier he would explode into a cloud of glitter.’ An apt description indeed. And of course Hines and her backing singers, deliver a soulful vocal performance.
A notable mention also to the lighting designers, who use a wall of lights to recreate the vibe and colour of the party atmosphere that was synonymous with the great discotheques of the day.
Velvet, includes ariel performers, acrobatics, singers and the must-have ingredient for any Fringe show these days; neon hula hoops spinning off every limb with nothing more than the nimble flick of the wrist, ankle, neck, akin to the signature wave of the Queen.
If you love performances like LaSoiree, Limbo or Cirque de Soliel you will enjoy this show.
Velvet is on at the Aurora Speigeltent in the Perth Pleasure Garden until Sunday 19 February 2017. Check out the Fringe Festival website for further details.
