[THEATRE REVIEW] GODZ @ Circus Oz Review 2024
A gift from the gods? Hardly.
Rather, an adults only, camp hoot, involving athleticism, strength and stamina.
That is what you get when you buy into the cheeky and cheery vibe of GODZ.
As the show begins, a voiceover as Zeus, the god of the sky in ancient Greek mythology, introduces us to his son Hercules and Herc’s cousins.
I refer to Apollo, the sun god, Dionysus, god of wine and Cupid, the love god.
These “gods” proceed to run riot and cause havoc in a series of acrobatic stunts that sees Hercules banished to hell (all in fun, of course).
Along the way, he and his mates dazzle and delight us with a series of mesmerising acrobatic routines – balancing, climbing and swinging.
I speak of Cal Harris, Thomas Gorham, Liam Dummer and Jordan Twartz.
They are outstanding exponents of their craft.
With a few props, they are consummate entertainers, who are out for a good time.
In large part, they are bare chested and, on occasion, nude (but for strategically placed plates).
They tantalise and tease each other, and there is a fair swathe of fruity language that goes down.
This is a deep dive into hedonism with a decidedly comic bent and the crowd goes wild for it.
But what one should not overlook is just how skilled this quartet is.
They may make what they do seem relatively straight forward, but it is far from that.
It takes dexterity, drive and years and years of practice to be as masterful as they are.
GODZ is a 75-minute show and the time seems to flash by, a sure sign that the boys’ endeavours strike a chord.
I have seen productions about the Greek gods before, but nothing that comes close to this.
So, prepare yourself for the fruits of these lads’ labours putting a smile on your face and leaving you in awe of their athletic prowess.
Not for naught did GODZ win the People’s Choice Award at Melbourne Fringe in 2022, as well as collecting a litany of other gongs throughout the country.
You can catch their irreverence at the Circus Oz Hub in Collingwood until 26th October, as part of the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival. To book, go to https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/godz/
Review by Alex First