Extravagantly Entertaining and Gatsby-esque | The Party
Get ready to party Newcastle because Strut & Fret's latest Spiegeltent production, The Party, is about to descend on the city from 30 March, direct from its debut season at The Adelaide Fringe Festival, where it's been received with rave reviews.
Strut & Fret, the creative force behind powerhouse circus cabaret shows Blanc De Blanc Encore and Limbo, describe The Party as an evening of utmost sophistication featuring unbelievably talented international performers - but with absolutely no rules!
With a lavish stage set for the party of the century, this show lifts the curtain on the secret world of social climbers, rich kids, gate crashers and hangers-on. Giving us an uncensored insight into the debaucherous goings-on of a high-society soirée, it could be described as a risqué exploration of the laws of attraction, where nothing is off limits. Audiences will need to secure tickets early to make sure they're on the invite list.
Conceived and directed by Scott Maidment, with comedy direction by Spencor Novich (American Horror Story, Blanc de Blanc) and choreography from LA's Kevin Maher (choreographer to Madonna, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Justin Bieber), anticipate a high-octane, provocative show full of surprises.
With overtones of the party scene from the film Babylon and very loosely inspired by the Peter Sellers film of the same name, The Party uses movie grabs and soundtracks that the performer's lip sync to. Some audience members play the game of guessing which movie or song the grabs are lifted from. The result is an eclectic mix with music ranging from Europop to Opera, 50s dance classics and contemporary. It creates a lot of reference points for the audience, adds to the general mayhem and is lots of fun - like a debaucherous Hollywood party set on the Riviera. Director Scott Maidment says it's one wild ride that will really hit the spot with Newcastle audiences, who, according to Scott, have a bit of a reputation for knowing how to have a good time!
"When we were devising the production back in December last year, we commented on how much the Newcastle audiences were going to love this one even more than usual," said Scott.
"I distinctly remember saying, 'Newcastle's gonna love this'! Our new show is not for the faint-hearted, it's pretty outrageous, and we know that Newcastle audiences love to party. But, more than ever, this show encourages the audiences to get up and join in the fun."
The love affair between Spiegeltent and Newcastle has been going on since 2013, with the famous tent making Newcastle its temporary home directly after its annual season at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, where it all began every year bar the COVID years.
"Newcastle has a great response to our shows, so every year as we bump out Adelaide, we tour straight to Newcastle, getting our ten shipping containers on the road and heading north. In fact, tickets are already selling well, and we look forward to a great season."
And it's not just the famous Spiegeltent that's about to be erected in Civic Park, but the Tokyo-inspired Maho Magic Bar that was a sellout success last year as well. Maho Magic Bar was designed and created by Kirsten Siddle, Creative Director of Broad Encounters and Scott's real-life partner.
"When we bought the Maho Magic Bar to Newcastle last year, I was really nervous," said Kirsten.
"No one had heard of it, and it's such a different experience – part bar, part magic show, people weren't sure what to expect. It didn't take long for the word to get around, though and before we knew it, we were having to add shows to the schedule to keep up with demand."
"The artists and crew all look forward to getting to Newcastle to hit the beaches and enjoy the lifestyle. For Scott and I, it's like a second home. We're looking forward to revisiting our favourite bars and restaurants this year. And for a change, we are in the same place at the same time."
It seems the attraction is mutual, with several Novocastrian crew members keen to be contracted each year to help set up the vintage tent. The Spiegeltent itself hails from Belgium and is around 100 years old. Put together like a giant Meccano set; there are unbelievably no tools, no screws, no nails, no bolts and no machinery required. Originally all the pieces could be lifted by one person. It takes less than a dozen people to erect the tent, and about eight crew members are locals who beg each year to be allowed to return.
"There is this wonderful sense of romantic achievement that people feel when they are a part of this traditional process," said Scott.
"It's a beautiful heritage piece that people love to work on. It does take a lot of maintenance, though. There is always something being worked on and repaired. In fact, at this very moment, we have a heritage carpenter from Newcastle working on it."
Once erected, the tent is an opulent space with stained glass, mirrors, warm timbers and red velvet that transports all who enter to a magical place reminiscent of old-world Europe. The audience is fully immersed in an experience that takes them out of their ordinary lives. This year, the set contains a huge twostorey house, open to the audience with ten doors and lots of windows. The party spills out of the house, around and above the spectators.
Seasoned international cast members include London West-End theatre royalty – Amanda Lindgren, who was an original cast member of Six West End and Danny Collins Wright, who's been working on a new Elton John musical also in London; New Yorker, Todd Degnan, who has toured and performed with Cirque US, Live 305 Entertainment and Sea World; and Jesse Harris from Montreal, who is the creator of the circus apparatus Trampo-Mât and one of only two people in the world to do it.
Daquan "Day Dayyy" Barnes, one of the lead dancers in the show, hails from LA and has literally just come from performing at the Grammy Awards. He's also worked with artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott, Jlo, Will. I. Am, TLC, Kirk Franklin, Ciara, Ludacris and more. Kiwi foot juggler Emma Phillips is not only the first ever foot juggler to come out of New Zealand, but she is also one of the only Western artists to perform Chinese-style foot juggling in the world. She was trained by China's finest. One of the lead aerialists in the show, Angela Leigh McIlroy-Wagar, is a multifaceted performing artist who mingles mindbogglingly intricate circus aerial techniques with contortion, theatricality, and waacking, a disco dance style featuring dramatic poses and lightning-speed arm movements. She has worked with Cirque du Soleil, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Circus Monti, Cirque Éloize and on television and film.
Scott warns audiences to "Expect great music, extravagant costumes, and an escalating energy within a theatre set, unlike anything you've ever seen before in the Spiegeltent. If you've ever been to a wilder party - you're under arrest!"
Set beside the Spiegeltent, visitors will also want to visit the glittering Maho Magic Bar, which offers fresh tricksters, fresh tricks and even fresher cocktails. Maho Magic Bar is the dazzling jewel of the Spiegeltent Newcastle program, jetting audiences straight to a neon-lit 'Tokyo' night with all the mischief, mayhem, cocktails and laughter you could wish for.
Inspired by Kirsten's travels to Japan, where the cacophony of sound, the glittering neon lights and the sensory overload that she experienced in the cities of Tokyo and Osaka took her out of her comfort zone, she wants to provide a similar immersive experience that dazzles and provides escapism.
"There's a contradiction in Japan that we tried to recreate – the dichotomy between the futuristic and contemporary neon exterior with the intimate, sophisticated tradition of the interior. In Japan, traditional Japanese magic, called tezuma, is still practised. Here we weave tezuma with western style magic. People are not sure what to expect. They enter the space and have no idea what's going on. Their every sense will be stimulated, and they just have to go with it. It's all part of the brilliance of the culture and the country that we've tried to encapsulate in this bubble of joy, full of comedy, delight and laughter."
The talented magicians and hosts for the show include Shirayuri, the pin-up boy pioneer whose tricks come with a debonair storytelling twist and in Newcastle for the very first time; Master of ceremonies and sass, Sho Eba, delights with flamboyant charm and plenty of glitter; Sydney favourite Kaori Kitazawa will deliver brand new super kawaii illusions, promising to continue to tear up the rulebook in a profession traditionally ruled by men; and infamous daredevil, Sarito, returns with a whole new repertoire of unbelievable, high-octane tricks, featuring needles, gaffer tape and detergent. In 2022 the Japanese crew discovered New Zealand sensation Mika Harris and are now delighted to present Mika as their special guest magician. Mika is sharp, sassy and the ultimate street swindler. Rounding out the troupe is master mixologist James Burgess, with flair bartending magic aplenty. Fuelled by a carefully curated bar menu of premium Japanese cocktails and spirits, Maho Magic Bar is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you have to do multiple times.
"For Spiegeltent Newcastle 2023, we have assembled the ultimate sleight-of-hand line-up, and I promise this will be Maho Magic Bar's craziest and most astonishing season yet. I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to present these tricksters in Newcastle. The only question is whether you will take your magic shaken or stirred!"
With a carefully curated bar menu of premium Japanese libations, you can choose from delicious and innovative cocktails, sake from three different regions and styles, find love with Japan's famed whisky and shochu or savour an umeshu and soda. And if you're feeling adventurous in spirit, round out your experience with a purchase from the 'Special Menu', with names like Spiky Love, Call Their Bluff and Ippan Knock Out – you won't be sure what to expect, except a fabulously memorable time!
There are non-alcoholic beverages available and a range of take-home products that include patterned paper lanterns, sake drinking cups, playing cards, coasters, light-up ice cubes for making your home cocktails look extra special, neon headbands and even Maho fans for keeping your cool. Just about everything has a neon flair!
The Spiegeltent and Maho Magic Bar are located next to the fountain in Civic Park, off King Street Newcastle. The site is open one hour before each performance, and for those attending either show, it's worth noting that The Party is 18+ only. Maho Magic Bar, however, is open to children aged 12+ if they are accompanied by a responsible adult. There will also be some family-friendly shows on offer for accompanied children aged 6+ – check the website for details. Both shows will proceed regardless of the weather as they are held indoors. There is accessible seating, and group bookings are welcome. It is recommended that audience members arrive at least 30 minutes prior to showtime, so they can find their seats and grab a drink without needing to rush. Seating in the Spiegeltent is not allocated within the sections, making it easy for friends to book separately but still sit together, provided they book the same section and arrive at the same time. The Party contains strobe lighting, theatrical haze, adult themes, coarse language, nudity and references to drug and alcohol consumption.
SEASON DETAILS
THE PARTY
DATES: 30 March – 7 May
VENUE: The Spiegeltent, Civic Park
RATED: 18+
FOLLOW: @thepartytheshow on Facebook and Instagram
MORE INFO AND TICKETS www.strutnfret.com/spiegeltentnewcastle
MAHO MAGIC BAR
DATES: 30 March – 7 May
VENUE: The Spiegeltent, Civic Park
FOLLOW: @mahomagicbar on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
MORE INFO & TICKETS www.mahomagicbar.com
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