La Clique: Zoe Marshall & Lydia NormanMulti award winning La Clique is back in London after ten years of dazzling audiences around the world to set up home at the Spiegeltent in Leicester Square for a limited winter season.
Since its inception at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2004 this extraordinary cabaret show has continued to mix humour and burlesque with circus skills and showmanship. It’s a feast of a spectacle, a truly unique evening of fun, fantasy and jaw dropping athleticism.
The atmosphere is brilliantly festive and we’re all encouraged to cut loose and kick off our cares as the brilliant Bernie Dieter welcomes us into her super sexy and slightly off kilter world. She’s great and by the end of the evening we’re all putty in her obviously very experienced hands.
It’s a showcase of exceptional artists from the gorgeous gravelly vocals of Kelly Wolfgramm (who brings the house down with her version of ‘It must have been love’) to the sensual acrobatics of Lydia Norman and Zoe Marshall who defy gravity and belief with their performances. There’s beautifully judged humour also from Florian Brooks whose charm and dexterity with a champagne flute (or three) is a hilarious juggling of charm and talent.
Special guest Stephen Williams, aka the famous Bath Boy seduces the entire audience with his wet denim take on ‘It’s a man’s world’. How anyone can be that sensual whilst hurtling through the air on a strap of elastic is both impressive and mesmerising. And what David Pereira can’t do with his body a shopping trolley and shaving foam probably isn’t worth exploring. He’s staggeringly flexible and watchable. They all are, and the choreography for the whole show is seamless. Even though each act is very different this is very much an ensemble performance – with the live musicians interacting with the acts and the audience being at times literally immersed in the show.
An extra special mention to Heather Holliday who sashays her way through sword swallowing and fire eating with stunning expertise, at one stage causing the entire crowd to gasp and applause in awe and unison.
For the audience in the front rows there’s a whole lot of interaction, which they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying, it’s rare to see an audience so up for enjoying themselves and that’s one of the treats of being inside the tent. For a few hours you’re in La Clique’s world and it’s joyful, unashamed entertainment, and why would you not want to give in to that!
Review by Roz Wyllie
The multi-award winning La Clique returns to the West End, a decade on from winning the Best Entertainment Olivier Award for its season at the Leicester Square Hippodrome. Born at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2004, this original and trailblazing Spiegeltent cabaret show has gone on to tour the globe to international acclaim and now returns to the beautiful Leicester Square Spiegeltent with a magnificent collection of extraordinary new artists and unmissable favourites.
La Clique
Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London
Booking to 4th January 2020