Walking into the theatre for Werk It is akin to walking straight into the depths of a 1990’s Australian fever dream. Think neon (so, so much neon). Think lightning bolts. Think Britney Spears. Think a stuttering Walkman rendition of ‘Torn’. It’s all happening, and much like the nineties, it’s all pretty bloody good.
This incredible circus-comedy-cabaret show is full of erotically charged energy, flashy spandex, and epic tricks that you’ve gotta see to believe. Starring world famous hula hooper Lisa Lottie, moustachioed manipulation expert Richard Sullivan, incredible strong woman Cassie Jamieson, and celebrated circus legend Vincent Van Berkel – this stand-out show is currently hitting our city as part of the many wonders of the Sydney Festival, and honestly; it’s pretty much the definition of ‘entertainment’.
This massive sherbet-heavy sugar bomb of a performance is guaranteed to cheer you up
The set is full of dazzling lights, neon colours and a whole lot of synths, with the cast coming together to effectively transport all of us 2023-dwellers to an alternate, circus-y universe, somewhere deep in the ‘90s. This – combined with numerous sequined outfits, expertly clenched buttocks, nostalgic Aussie high school uniforms and a whole lot of glitter – meant that there was not a single dull moment for one of the sixty minutes that made up this night out.
Despite none of the plot lines really making a whole lot of sense (one moment we’re in high school, the next someone is making love to a metal beer barrel with Bob Hawke’s face on it), this entire glitzy affair is carried by the sheer skill of its performers.
Whether it’s an entire human pyramid balanced on Cassie Jamieson’s head, a wild backflip sequence, flying through the air, gyrating on a swing pole, or getting down to Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’, Werk It kept an increasingly captive audience squealing until they had run off stage and the lights had switched on.
This massive sherbet-heavy sugar bomb of a performance is guaranteed to cheer you up, with its irrepressible lightness, roaring pop ballads and classic one liners like; “because even Jesus was a fucking tradie” all worth a look and a listen.
Just remember: you’re not there for the plot. You’re there for the circus.
Werk It is playing at the Seymour Centre from January 12-22, 2022. Tickets are $30-$59. Book in by clicking here.
