Review /// Hanussen – The Palace of Burlesque

Overview

Nazi; circus. An unlikely pairing of motifs even less likely to be born in a Christchurch theatre, written by a Kiwi newspaper columnist. And yet a concept I was so easily sold on, eager to take in the fantastical and bizarre (and potentially offensive).

Written by Christchurch Press columnist Joe Bennett, this has to be one of the most bizarre performances to ever escape the city known for its... well, you know, blandness. What I saw of this performance was anything but bland. The combination of burlesque dancing, acrobatics, circus acts and live music had my imagination doing double flips imagining the accident we could have experienced if one of the performers had suffered at the hands of this unknown "technical problem". When I wasn't imagining dislocated limbs, I was sitting on my hands trying my best to grow up and stop myself shielding my boyfriend's eyes from the dancer shimmying inches from his face.

So can New Zealand's only circus theatre company, naming themselves The Loons, pull off the rather touchy subject of Nazi Germany? Well, I'd tell you if I knew. But I expect the answer is "yes".

*The technical difficulties have now been resolved and the show will go on!

Photo credit: Jason Larraman