Review: BUBBLE SHOW FOR ADULTS ONLY at Barons Court Theatre 20 – 24 September 2022

‘an unmissable visual feast’ ★★★★

When an annoyingly posh, young couple sat down in the front row, I prayed they would fall victim to what I already suspected was going to be an assault on the senses. My wish came true.

Within moments, the air was filled with iridescent floating spheres and pulsating music, while the sheepish boyfriend was being gyrated upon by one of the performers, much to the enjoyment of his gleeful partner. “Bubble Show For Adults Only” is not for the faint hearted.

The burlesque part is driven mostly by Lulia Benze who has the body of an acrobat and the facial expressions of Julie Walters.

Alongside Kurt Murray they prance around the stage miming fragments of love stories that don’t quite fit into a coherent whole but entertain nonetheless.

Although there is some dialogue, it’s not really needed as visual innuendo and miming are brought together by the sound and lighting to transport the audience into different realms ranging from a medieval castle to the inside of a vagina.

Murray is responsible for the more intricate bubble art, some of which is genuinely breathtaking. But like with the burlesque, both share the delightful burden of the two art forms.

At times, the show threatens to burst through membrane of the intimate yet atmospheric Barons Court Theatre, with netting going everywhere and bubbles swamping the audience. This is all part and parcel of the intensely physical vibe of the show.

“Bubble Show” is also deeply funny. Benze and Murray had the audience at their mercy with their unfaltering slapstick humour.

One slight criticism is that the show remained on a similar register throughout. It didn’t really feel like it built towards anything and maybe this could have been helped by a tighter story structure.

Nonetheless, the foaming phallic structures created in bubble form, fuse with the hyper-sexualised movements of both performers to form an unmissable visual feast.

Bubble Show For Adults Only

Barons Court Theatre, West Kensington

20th-24th September at 7:30pm

Box Office: https://www.baronscourttheatre.com/bubbles

Reviewer

Danny Shaw studied English at Bristol University before completing a screenwriting MA at Leeds Beckett. He now works as a journalist and is an aspiring screenwriter / playwright.