Review: Le Aerial

The performers of Aerial Artists Adelaide showcase all the poise and strength expected of a large-scale act like Le Aerial, but as a whole the production fails to entirely captivate its audience.

Awkwardly placed stage lighting prevents audience visibility of one aerialist. A few songs into the pop renditions by the night's compere and a child a few rows behind says, “I hope he doesn’t come back.” Harsh but not unfair. it would take a professional to distract from this tone. Luckily, there are professionals a-plenty.

There is no doubt that the women of Le Aerial hold this show together. A duo ascends in an aerial apparatus metres above the stage, one taking the full weight of the other by linking only their feet.

Another aerialist wraps herself up in chains before tumbling back towards the ground in what looks to be both a painful and dangerous achievement. The performances are fearfully breathtaking. They range from pure grace to pure shock-value. It’s just as maniacal as circus is meant to be and it’s every bit as entertaining. However, it slips into the kind of staginess that distracts from what should a celebration of raw human strength.

Run ended.