360 ALLSTARS

Directed by Gene Peterson

Onyx Productions

The Q Theatre, Queanbeyan

March 31 – April 2, 2015

Review by Len Power March 31, 2015

 

‘360 Allstars’ is certainly a unique theatre experience.  You’re dazzled by some excellent multi-media effects and entertained by some extraordinary performers whose physical feats are breath-taking.

The cast of '360 Allstars'. Photo by Matt Loncar

Director, Gene Peterson, who also plays drums expertly in the show, has gathered together six remarkable young men from various countries around the world who display amazing physical talents in Break-dancing, BMX Flatlanding, Basketball Freestyling, Beatboxing and the Roue Cyr Wheel.

Sam Perry, an Australian loop music artist, provides the live music.  How he does this is demonstrated at the start of the show.  He creates beats, bass lines and harmonies using only his voice and then loops them electronically into a soundscape that is conceptually very clever.  It certainly suits the style of the show but it’s also extremely loud.

All performers are quite brilliant in their own way and it’s a credit to them that we warm to each of their personalities as they perform their heart-stopping specialities.  Rashaun Daniels from the USA, the basketball freestyler, displays the best rapport with the audience.  He’s funny and has a great sense of timing, both physically and verbally.  He has integrated these skills superbly into his act and had the audience on-side all the way.

Rashaun Daniels gives a ballsy performance!

The lighting design by Australian, Geoff Squires, is especially notable.  The sequence where the performers step in and out of a ring onstage relies on razor-sharp light cues and it was brilliantly done.  The Q’s lighting operator did a superb job getting this right.  The audio visual design by Germany’s Freddy Komp was very cleverly produced and complemented the action onstage as well as the music.

Gene Peterson’s show has toured the world already.  He has done an excellent job in staging the piece, bringing all the elements together to produce a very entertaining and memorable evening.  It moves swiftly from one performer to the next, showcasing their individual skills and bringing them together in clever group sequences.  It should appeal particularly to a younger audience but I had a good time, too, even if my ears were ringing for some time after the show.

Originally broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 ‘Dress Circle’ showbiz program with Bill Stephens on Sunday 5 April 2015 from 5pm.