The ”Briefs” boys are back with their unique mix of burlesque and vaudeville
I can safely say that I’ve never seen a show quite like Briefs: The Second Coming before. The fun begins before the lights go down, with scantily clad men proffering raffle tickets – raising money for the company’s "vodka fund".
A mix of burlesque, cabaret and circus, Briefs is a highly polished example of the form, and this show has already had success at last year’s Edinburgh Festival, as well as headlining the Circus Big Top at Glastonbury earlier this summer. With a perfect balance of raunch, tricks and jaw-dropping skills all set to a pulsating soundtrack, it sets the Spiegeltent at the London Wonderground ablaze (at times, almost literally).
The Australian troupe have clearly got a lot of avid followers already – around half the audience were "repeat offenders" – and they deserve to get hoards more. Beginning with a slightly strange 19th Century narration, the action really gets into the swing of things with a big burlesque number, and the pace then barely drops.
Overseeing proceedings is Fez Faanana, who strikes a perfect atmosphere and plays off audience responses with ease. One of the glorious things about Briefs is there’s a little something for everyone – as long as you’re over 16 – from hoop and trapeze work to clowning, and drag galore.
There are moments when the humour is almost too much, and a couple of numbers fall slightly flat, but the Briefs boys are likeable enough that they get away with it. Chuck in a Rubik’s cube solving schoolboy (I’ll never look at a yo-yo in the same way again), a monkey with a banana, a show-girl – or is that boy? – doing a bit of magic and a rather fleshy raffle prize and you’ve got a recipe for success.
The show rounds off nicely with a dazzling finale from King of Burlesque Captain Kidd. Oh, and if you’re in the front few rows: you may get wet.