Review: Happy Hour
Pictured: Glitter Martini’s Happy Hour ‘menu’ (All Pictures Credit: Creative Futures Photography)
Glitter Martini’s latest show, Happy Hour, is a great concept. Promoted as ‘a cocktail of circus and variety,’ this is a one-hour run through a cocktail menu, reinterpreted by a talented cabaret circus collective. As with most cocktail menus there are established favourites (reliable and trusted choices, occasionally with a new twist) and one or two combinations that you might try again but weren’t convinced that they’d be your future ‘go to.’
My three favourite cocktails on this particular menu were the contortion, trapeze, and lyra. Darcie Rae (Glitter Martini's director and resident aerialist) held our attention when getting ready for the evening drinks, and in the opening fluid dance trapeze. Stunning work, this disappeared almost too fast …as is the case with many first cocktails during happy hours? Rachel Ray’s bubbly lyra was effervescent, fluid, elegant, and skilled work. And Elena Khaw’s Mai-Tai was prepared as only an accomplished contortionist can—assembling the ingredients while demonstrating a number of impressive front- and back-bending moves.
The freshly minted Fringe Brisbane—a new project, driven by local artists & venues—is the perfect opportunity for artists to test the waters with new concepts and shows. I look forward to seeing how this show might be further developed. I’d love to see one more performer in the mix (to provide a contrasting cocktail for the menu), and perhaps a few tweaks to some of the other pieces.
The clowning comics were creative in their cocktail presentations. Sam Ellis’ Singapore Sling-ky act was a clever and funny use of various sizes and types of slinky, and Calum Johnston’s Bloody Mary was amusing (and certainly bloody). But I felt that each of these items would benefit from being slightly shorter, or from having greater audience involvement.
Audience participation was promised and delivered, thanks mainly to our host, Trent Charles. I loved Charles’ work as Father Benedict Sylvester in Glitter Martini’s 7 Mortal Sinners, and wonder if Happy Hour would have benefited from Charles as our cocktail mixologist for the evening. In a future iteration, perhaps more time for Charles to riff through cocktail menus and ingredients, with a shorter quiz (and ditch the ‘Glitter Martini mixing’)?
Our final Happy Hour cocktail was a glass of bubbles… or, rather, a smattering of Miss Bubbles’ work (I loved the ‘singing in the bubbles’ moves). And then this particular happy hour ended with a chance to applaud the Glitter Martini team before we dashed out for a final drink of the evening.
Verdict: A great concept. I look forward to seeing Glitter Martini’s next Happy Hour menu.
Audience information: Happy Hour, Arcana Fringe Brisbane Hub, Moorooka (16 October, 2022). Limited parking, 16+, some coarse language, alcohol focus, suggestive dialogue, and limited sexual situations. Tickets: $35. 60-ish minutes.
The reviewer attended the Sunday 16 October (8pm) performance.
All Pictures Credit: Creative Futures Photography.