For the next two nights, the Peacock Theatre will transform into Mount Olympus to welcome the Head First Acrobats and their West End debut, GODZ. The riotous acrobatic comedy show sends the Australian circus troupe flying up into the rafters, and the audience’s eyebrows will shoot up to the roof as well. GODZ is not one for pearl clutchers: it’s pantomime chaos meets Magic Mike.
Anyone who didn’t glean that from the risqué pre-show playlist will certainly get the hint after the booming nudity warning delivered by Zeus himself. Bacchanalian from the outset, GODZ offers a glimpse of four well-known Ancient Greek gods at their cheekiest and most homoerotic.
The interplay between Hercules, Cupid, Dionysus and Apollo is as titillating as it is charming, which translates into a wild audience experience. Getting rowdy alongside the ancient gods is highly encouraged, with those in the stalls invited to whoop, ogle and even grunt at the suggestive performances.
Despite the raunchy set-up, there’s almost no doubt that the Head First Acrobats are physically skilled performers. Almost no doubt, because this is a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Every stunt is performed with just enough comedy to keep the audience wondering if they’ll actually pull off the next handstand. The audience feels second-hand anxiety while watching Cupid (Liam Chamberlayne) teeter on a health and safety risk tower of chairs, but that anxiety collapses into laughter when the performer breaks the fourth wall to joke about the distracting music.
While the show is deliberately hectic, it does stumble over its occasional lack of focus. Some skits run on for too long, other tricks become predictable, and it takes a while to reach any real laugh-out-loud moments or jaw-dropping stunts. Somewhere between all the hijinks is a story, with the flirty, impish Hercules (played by Callan Harris) as its lovable protagonist. The story isn’t there to enrich the show with character development or profound social analysis, but anyone upset about that has missed the point.
As Zeus, clad in killer heels, closes the night with a series of dazzling aerial tricks, it is the perfect reminder of what the show is all about: historical accuracy. The Ancient Greeks loved a good party, and GODZ is an evening of pure, unadulterated hedonism.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
