Review: Worship
Picture: The producer and cast of Worship (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography)
Melt Festival is an annual open-access celebration of Queer arts and culture. One of the highlights of my 2026 program is Glitter Martini’s Worship. Supported by the Melt Giving Circle, Worship is a show that brings together local LGBTQIA+ circus and variety artists—and must be the best Glitter Martini show I have seen for several years. And that is high praise, as I have seen and admired several shows directed by Darcie Rae.
Worship is an great show that provides a platform for seven talented performers. The audience enters a darkened candle-lit space, with a ‘He/Hymn’ song sheet on every seat, and to the sound of organ music (Abba of course). Hosted by a dog-collar wearing MC (Daniel Kirkby), Worship includes opportunities to confess, to suggest a few new commandments, and to join in singing that classic hymn to loneliness (‘…Baby One More Time’). However, although the show references ‘worship themes,’ it is not a religious event; unless you worship at the feet of circus, burlesque, and variety artists.
Daniel Kirkby (MC) is a fantastic choice as host, delivering excellent crowd engagement—including entertaining anecdotes and a couple of ‘Amazon-purchased’ magic acts—and a passionate performance of MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name). But, even before Kirkby takes to the stage, Worship opens with fabulous and fluid Tetra by A Line In The Air. If you haven’t seen her work on this unique, ground-based structure, it is definitely something to seek out; think compelling dance, acrobatics, handstands, and aerials-style work, all on over and under a large pyramid structure. A great way to set the mood, and raise expectations for the rest of the show.
And we are not disappointed as Worship continues apace. Indie Berlin’s bread-themed hula hoops work is delightfully saucy and amusing in equal measure. Bendy Elle’s skilled contortion always impresses audiences—even when the response is a combination of wow and ouch (wouch?). A good choice to set this performance to Pink Flowers, which is a song that includes the memorable line ‘I’m just tryna be flexible’! Equally, Glasseater’s body stapling takes the wouch up a notch or two. I have seen glass eating before, and know what such specialist artists can do with their bodies, but I think body stapling is a first for me. This is a clever piece of audience interaction that has some people rushing to share their ‘commandments,’ while others just watch in amazement.
Picture: Charlie Love (pole dance). Credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: A Line In The Air, Tetra (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Miss Amy May’s powerful lollipop lyra (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Daniel Kirkby (Credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Bendy Elle (contortion), Image credit: Creative Futures Photography.
Picture: Glasseater’s body stapling entrance (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Indie Berlin’s bread-themed hula hoop work (Image credit: Creative Futures Photography).
My two personal headline acts are the talented Charlie Love and Miss Amy May. I think there are many of us who wouldn’t try to walk in those fabulous shoes, let along jog onto stage and then command everyone’s full attention with incredible acrobatic pole dance. Charlie Love’s pole-dance-meets-gym act is one that I am sure most of us would watch again and again; much better than trying to do the sit-ups yourself. And a great choice by Darcie Rae to place Miss Amy May’s powerful, heartfelt, and fierce lollipop lyra at the close of our 60-minute Worship experience.
The original Melt program included two performances by this incredible cast at St Andrew’s Uniting Church in Brisbane city. Having seen Glitter Martini’s memorable 7 Mortal Sinners I was really looking forward to a return to St Andrew’s Uniting Church. However, although Worship was initially promoted as ‘an evening at a church that welcomes ALL,’ the producers were later required to find a new venue at relatively short notice. Sadly for Brisbane audiences this meant that this Worship was a ‘one night only’ event at the Powerhouse Underground Theatre.
Here’s hoping that Glitter Martini can find new venues for this excellent show, as Darice Rae and cast certainly deliver on the Glitter Martini vision of ‘Circus, Shaken.’ Keep an eye on their socials for future Worship shows as a church, theatre, or club near you soon.
Picture: ‘All rise,’ Image Credit: Creative Futures Photography