Review by Markus Hamence – Performance date: Friday 23 February 2024, Adelaide Fringe, Gluttony, South Australia
The 2024 Adelaide Fringe show Rouge has been met with rave reviews, highlighting its cheeky, flamboyant, and sensual performance that blends circus, cabaret, and burlesque elements into a captivating spectacle. The show strikes a perfect balance between intimacy and professionalism, delivering a sensory feast of jaw-dropping acrobatics, risqué burlesque, and gravity-defying acts, all interspersed with powerful (very powerful) operatic vocals. The audience is treated to a truly inclusive experience, with performers engaging directly to create an immersive atmosphere filled with whoops, whistles, and thunderous applause.
Rouge stands out not only for its entertainment value but also for the joy and exuberance it exudes, making it a highlight of the Fringe experience. Critics and audiences alike praise the show for its extravagant and outrageous fun, embodying the spirit of Fringe with its blend of sensational acrobatics, operatic cabaret, and tongue-in-cheek burlesque. The performers’ unadulterated joy is infectious, contributing to an exceptional night out that encapsulates the essence of the festival.
Many of the reviews you will stumble across advises leaving the kids at home for a grown-up’s night out filled with a naughty and cheeky take on the circus/cabaret/burlesque genre – stunning acrobatics, sensual costumes, operatic delights, and a unique style of burlesque ensue. The show challenges conventions around gender, sexuality, and relationships, providing a positive and affirming experience that leaves audiences in awe. With expert acts ranging from the cyr wheel to fire eating and aerial straps, complemented by engaging choreography, comedy, and soundtrack, Rouge embodies everything the Fringe festival stands for.
Much loved Michaela Burger is the leading lady with a voice that smack you fair in the fair. Her operatic prowess is unbelievable and a pleasure on so many levels to experience. We see Michaela in another Fringe show, ‘Simply Brill’ and this is a MASSIVE departure from the role show plays in that. I appreciate her versatility and the fact she is not afraid to play it up and not take herself too seriously. A performer of the upmost talent is before us.
The sound and lighting has to be nodded too also – it’s brilliant, filling the large venue in Gluttony spectacularly. Bravo to the crew.
I asked a few audience member their thoughts on the show…
“What a show! It’s like they’ve taken the best parts of burlesque and circus, shaken them up, and turned the dial up to eleven” Geoff W, Parafield Garden, South Australia
“Can I take them all home, please!!!” Liz P, Aldinga, South Australia
For anyone looking for a memorable Fringe experience, Rouge offers an outrageous brand of adult circus that’s both empowering and supremely sexy. Described by various reviews as a “bad*ss sizzler of a show,” “a sexy, slick celebration,” and an “empowering spectacle,” it’s clear that Rouge is a must-see at the Adelaide Fringe.
A naughty and flirty FIVE STARS from me *****
AND if you like it a bit naughtier, they have an even sexier version of the show – Rouge Goes Rogue, check it out… https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/rouge-goes-rogue-af2024
For tickets, show information and dates, click here! 🙂
