It’s the media call for Lassu the Cosmic Cabaret and circus spectacular that has put down pegs for its Hobart residence and performances at the Wrest Point Casino lawns. The show is a mix of burlesque, cabaret and traditional circus. We were greeted by circus pedigree in Merrick Ashton, one of the creatives behind Lassu.
Outside the tent I chatted to Wrest Point General Manager, Linda Collis, and we talked about what encouraged the casino to well, lasso Lassu.
Collis said the casino wanted to bring:
“Something new, a new style of entertainment to visitors this summer, a new style of entertainment, that would continue through January and February.”
Collis reminded us that the show is strictly 18 plus entertainment. “This is a plus for people wanting to enjoy the waterfront venue, in the tradition of the casino’s hosting of ‘Night at the Point’ last year. The show will “capitalise on the summer, with perfect weather and allow patrons to grab a drink and meal around a show, which is not overly long.”
In fact, the burlesque part of the show has a tradition at the casino, which can be seen said Collis, ‘especially if you have been to the showroom and seen the pictures of entertainers and costumes of showgirls from that era, so Lassu fits into the Wrest Point tradition.”
It’s a tantalising scene, that many of us remember from our childhood: the expansive arena empty of audience, except we few, with a sense of expectation, the big top, the canvas floor various props and a few of the performers. We are all waiting and then….
The first act arrived; it’s a rousing rendition of ‘These Boots are Made for Walking’ by two cowgirls Rachel Nikolovski and Sophie Donovan and Rusty the Clown (Liam Papanicolaou) who was wearing a pair of silver boots on his hands.
Warmed up, we next had a glimpse of Ian Richardson, an eight-year-trained hand balancer. On the pommel apparatus, he defied natural law to balance his full weight on one hand while twirling himself around and then did it all again on spinning tops. We moved into a darker environment, that of the knife thrower, Jessie Daley. He hurled a series of knives into a board where a damsel darted and dived to avoid the incoming traffic of steel.
After the preview Richardson and Donovan came down to take questions. Richardson said he has been a year with Lassu and is enthusiastic about being in Tassie
“I’m excited to be here in Hobart and can’t wait to bring Lassu to audiences,” said Richardson, noting that his skill ‘takes years and years of practice and concentration’ to perfect.
Richardson said the circus troupe “live together like a family.”
Donovan – the assistant to Daley, the knife thrower – expressed her trust in Daley and how in the act, the experience of the audience’s fear is a slow build.
Sitting with some of the other performers was Rusty the clown who true to his gregarious personality gave me a smile and a wave which, I of course returned.
And I also returned on opening night, where in the initial sequence all contributors appeared on stage together as a multi-talented family. The show follows Rusty the Clown’s endeavour to bring the magic back to the space saloon by drawing together many inspiring acts and finally gain the golden lassu which will ultimately sit at the saloon’s entrance.
The first act was a literal Rapunzel, a woman dangling by the top of her head by a rope of her hair to gracefully ascend and descend her imaginary tower.
The slack rope balancer created some stunning scenarios including with a stool and ladder, again seemingly averting natural laws, impossible to believe even though we saw them with our own eyes.
Another performer beganwith something that might have had its origin in a kid’s party trick but is essentially risqué rather than risky, as the performer turned our idea of a balloon, inside out.
There is much to astound shock and entertain in Lassu and when I met Rusty at the end of the night, reminding him that he waved at me at the media call, he mentioned about how the actual performance is even more astounding than the preview we had the day before, I just had to agree.
Lassu is performing at Wrest Point Casino lawns under the big top until February 7, Wednesday to Sunday, with much earned days off on Monday and Tuesdays.
