Estadio has established itself as the home of burlesque in Wellington and there were plenty of aficionados of this fabulous form of entertainment in attendance on Friday night. Revolver Circus-Club fuses circus elements with burlesque, and true to its name, it goes off with all the happiness of a warm gun.

The beautiful but formidable Magenta Diamond is Mistress of Ceremonies and the stage is revolved by hand due to the unceasing toil of an anonymous, ever obedient Caliban in a kilt, who rejoices in his revolting subjection.

The acts are varied – as, sometimes, is the level of skill – but the show’s sense of style never falters. It’s a style in which the audience is fully complicit. In fact it’s hard to keep them off the stage themselves at times. They understand that everyone can have their fifteen minutes of fame as long as they are prepared to put their body on the line. On this basis, the circus elements fuse easily with burlesque and it’s nice to see performers let go when they usually hold back, and get all bound up when they’re supposed to go free – whatever reverses the tedium of convention and the tiresome conformity of the working day.

Maria Dubrowska – aka the Russian Girl – dances with a fine edge along just this line. Jenny Ritchie’s aerial displays on a velvet rope show superb strength and sculptured form, only enhanced by some fetching lace. Nikita Spooky mixes in some moody, discontented ballads, playing guitar and singing to a high standard.

Basketball Jones is nearest perhaps to a traditional circus act. He’s been practising hard with his balls and shows just how you combine audience rapport with actual performance. We are intrigued to learn that his real name is actually Basketball Smith and he gets the slightly hypnotic rhythm of a stationary unicycle working in sync with his comic timing. Beau Champagne is a spunky whip cracking cowboy – not as polished as some performers but that only adds to the democratic atmosphere.

At the centre of things, however, is Magenta Diamond, and as the show goes on she develops into a commanding presence. This is all the more impressive because her voice and acting skills could do with some coaching. Physically, though, she’s seriously fit and she knows just where the sweet spot lies. She paces her striptease through a series of consummately designed costumes and when she performs near naked and fearless in aerial chains of gold, it’s both sublime and satisfying: a perfect climax to the show.

My only worry with Revolver concerns safety. Unfortunately I’ve been to a show when an aerial act has crashed without padding below or safety wires above. I can assure you that the wail of an approaching ambulance siren puts a distinct dampener on the evening. While top circus acts usually use a safety wire, I guess you could get away with discrete cushioning underfoot. Maybe it’s already there – I’m hoping so. These performers deserve to live long and prosper.
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