Handle with care – Dangerous Goods
Brisbane outfit Polytoxic like to push the boundaries and they are doing it again with latest show Dangerous Goods, which turns Hi-Vis into a fashion and theatrical statement
While all four theatres at QPAC are currently in use, it is the smallest venue that is generating the loudest racket.
Dangerous Goods is a theatrical war cry from Polytoxic, a femme-forward company that smashes theatrical convention – and the male gaze, while they are at it.
Dressed up as Hi-Vis campery, Dangerous Goods merges circus, burlesque, stand-up comedy, spoken word and song to engage, entertain and demand change.
At this work site, shocks and surprises are never far away – Lisa Fa’alafi’s volcanic rap number about resisting colonisation sounds like it belongs in Hamilton, while Kalala Sione’s arresting cover of Everybody Wants to Rule the World utterly transforms that song’s meaning. (I won’t spoil an earlier number, which takes Mary Poppins to a place it has never been before.)
The snappy, modular construction of Dangerous Goods assembles group numbers, solo and duo acts alongside a revolving roster of guest artists. On opening night, First Nations performer Rina filled the space with her powerful voice and original music before the fire-breathing Jazida paid homage to vaudeville and striptease in irrepressible fashion.
Polytoxic’s work offers irreverent, probing commentary at the intersection of gender, sexuality and culture. Fa’alafi and Lilikoi Kaos team up to break Polynesian Barbie out of her box, re-imagining the use of traditional fala (woven mats) into cowgirl chaps, and wielding war weapons from Pasifika culture, before cracking whips to the alarm of those seated closest to the stage.
Leah Shelton expertly sheds her skin to celebrate the female body and question who such performances are really for. Meanwhile, Mayu Muto’s singular take on Little Red Riding Hood leaves no doubt about the agency of her famous character.
Bridie Hooper’s stupendous acrobatics bookend the production. Her initial aerial act is a masterclass of complex wraps, holds and transitions. Later, she uses Besser blocks in a show-stopping demonstration of strength, flexibility and theatrical ingenuity.
Dangerous Goods celebrates the contributions of each performer and the rich creative partnership of Fa’alafi and Shelton. Their many collaborations stretch back to Teuila Postcards, which premiered at Brisbane Powerhouse in 2006, before a season at the Cremorne Theatre in 2009.
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Their contrasting on-stage personas, anchored in physical theatre, bring out the best in each other’s work. Dangerous Goods demonstrates that their theatrical instincts remain as sharp as ever.
Dangerous Goods plays the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, until February 4
qpac.com.au