La Clique brings tears to the eyes

This entry is from The Daily Telegraph's official Sydney Festival Blog.

After only three nights, the Spiegeltent in Hyde Park was packed (below) as Sydney Festival audiences gathered to witness the vaudeville circus troupe La Clique.

A favourite from last year’s festival, the Spiegeltent is the perfect home for this phenomenal show. A vaudeville act in the very best tradition, the performance is made up of vignettes of freakish talent.

From Mario, the Queen of the Circus who performed the most hilarious parodies of Freddy Mercury to Amy G the roller skater girl.

The crowd favourite tonight was by far Captain Frodo – a self described ‘rubber-man’ with such physical skill he can contort through two tennis racquets in the most hilarious way that left the audience in tears.

But just as you think there wasn’t anything more that this marvellous troupe could perform, the second half produces another favourite to swoon audiences, Yulia Pykhtina, a hoola-hoop magician (top).

Speaking to audience members as they walked out, ear to ear in smiles, it was clear that this show captures the childhood heart.

Ecki from the Eastern Suburbs after having only booked tickets at the last moment today, thought that “it was better and more original than Cirque du Soleil.”

Tom of Redfern, thought it was “stupendous with a wet yet dry sense of humour”.

There were some grumblings from certain audience members who were disappointed at the lack of a more traditional arts festival programme. Mark of Paddington said that “the whole Sydney Festival seems to be a whole lot of circus’, and this show was probably one of the better ones”.

But Mark was very much in the minority. The crowd who are currently now hanging around to dance and celebrate more are a testament to that.

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