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Review: Head First Acrobats: GODZ (Peacock Theatre)

Review by Dan Ghigeanu

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

First premiering at the Fringe World festival in Perth, this multi-award-winning show is finally making its West End premier. The Olympian-based stage show GODZ offers what I can only describe as one of the most entertaining theatrical spectacles I have seen in a very long time.


 

We are first introduced to the Gods themselves: Apollo, the God of Sun, played by Thomas Gorham, Hercules, the God of Strength, played by Cal Harris, Cupid, the God of Love, played by Liam Dummer, and Dionysus, the God of Wine, played by Jordan Twartz. Once we get to know the Gods, the show dives in headfirst with some very impressive tricks on top of stacked chairs! Yes, stacked chairs, at an angle, remarkably high and extremely amazing. The visuals during this number are outstanding, complemented by gorgeous lighting and music.

 

Every performer gets their solo moment, highlighting their unique skill set. The first God showing us what he is capable of is Dionysus, with Jordan Twartz displaying amazing balance and dexterity during his diabolo number. I was absolutely speechless watching how fast and precise he was! Apollo, played by Thomas Gorham, leaned into his breakdance background, showing us a vast number of tricks including spinning on his head. I was getting dizzy by just watching him! Liam Dummer showed amazing balance and strength on top of 6 stacked chairs, and you could hear a pin drop in the audience during this breathtaking number. Cal Harris  as Hercules, was absolutely hilarious. All of the cast are funny, but Cal just brings another level of fun. His whip cracking number is, for a lack of better word, completely bonkers! We also get to see his amazing ladder balancing skills while “Zero to Hero” from Hercules is playing, and that number is both visually impressive and hilarious.

 


We do get the famous Greek poses with the plates but before we get to them, we get a hilarious number with our Gods naked on stage using the plates to cover their ‘pride.’ This is pure chaos in the best way possible, even if you do get to see more skin than what you’ve bargained for! Our beloved Hercules gets sent to Hell by Zeus for dancing naked with his cousins, purely because they haven’t invited Zeus as well. Before he arrives, we have a number from Gotham, now playing Hades in the underworld, which I can only describe as dangerous and tense. He is swinging in the air, on a trapeze, upside down on his head! For reasons I will not reveal here, Zeus is not happy with Hercules, so he sends him to Christian Hell!

 

That is when my favourite number in the show happens. Nuns appears on stage played by Dummer, Gorham and Twartz. This sequence was my favourite for a lot of reasons. It is visually stunning with Hercules riding on top of two Nuns, holding the whips in their mouth while a 3rd Nun is praying in front of them; the Nuns are hilarious, especially during the dance bit that they perform in this number. Oh, and did I mention while all of this is happening, “S&M” by Rihanna is playing?

 


We do get to meet Zeus at the end when Hercules is invited to join him in ruling over Mount Olympus. Liam Dummer portrays Zeus in this number, displaying some mid-air acrobatics, and doing it while wearing 6-inch heels. Watching that number really put the simple task of walking down the street into perspective.

 

Head First Acrobats: GODZ is all you want from a night out. It is extremely entertaining, will make you laugh in abundance, with gorgeous lighting and music, clever costumes designed by Chelsea Angell and Bryn Meredith, and it has one of the most talented casts I have ever seen on stage. They do tricks and show us skills that the Gods themselves would be jealous of, and I was left wondering if the cast are mere mortals or truly Gods in disguise.

 

Head First Acrobats: GODZ plays at the Peacock Theatre until June 14th

 

 

Photos by Beck Stone

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