I’ve often thought the main problem with acrobatics, and most physical forms of expression for that matter, is a lack of grubby, punk mentality and drunkenness. Thankfully Melbourne’s Caravan of Doom has answered this public demand with Good Clean Fun. As I enter, a roller-skating, rake-thin, tattooed man in women’s underwear offers my girlfriend and I champagne. As there is only one glass left I content myself with having the spilt leftovers on the tray poured into my mouth. Delicious. This sets the scene for the entire show: Funny, irreverent and vaguely unhygienic.

The beauty of Good Clean Fun is that it is a wildly punk variety show. There is stuff here for everyone: someone jumping through a hoop, a motorbike striptease, a techno mayhem scene, a parody newscast and a woman dressed as a star being piloted around the room by the crowd. Having said this however, beauty is a highly subjective notion and one of the performers does something I’ve never before seen live, or really care to see again. I won’t ruin it for you but it is heavy shit.

While the acrobatics are impressive enough it’s the DIY, punk, necking-Wild-Turkey-out-of-the-bottle attitude that creates a genuine sense of danger. In fact, at times the whole act seems to be hanging by a thread, held together by sheer will and energy. It does come unstuck in parts though. The precarious sense of danger surrounding the more physical acts turns out to be actual danger as Wazza, one of the performers, falls from the top of an acrobatic set piece and busts his lip on the concrete floor. While he retreats, cursing, followed by his fellow leading man the third performer is left standing in the middle of the crowd, seemingly unsure of how to proceed. Luckily, the quick thinking stage-hand creates a diversion by shooting a small burst from the smoke-machine, obscuring the crowd’s feet.

The whole show has a great sense of anarchical energy about it. From when I first entered and was ushered to sit on the floor the whole thing reeked of crowd participation, something I dread for a variety of reasons I won’t go into here. However, apart from being accidentally hit in the head by one of the performers during the techno mayhem scene, participation was painless and actually quite enjoyable. Good Clean Fun is definitely worth a look. It’s best enjoyed while at least partially intoxicated.

Good Clean Fun is on Friday and Saturday night at Red Rattler. More info at:

thesydneyfringe.com.au/shows/good-clean-fun

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