Head First Acrobats return to Perth Fringe World this year with a bang in their new show: Elixir Revived. A high-energy production filled with daring acrobatics and cheeky humour; it’s a perfect way to end a night out with friends at Northbridge’s Pleasure Gardens.
Made up of four boys: Callan Harris, Anthony Saltalamachia, Thomas Gorham and Liam Dummer, the group combines slapstick physical comedy, satirical storytelling and a little spice, putting the pleasure in Pleasure Gardens.
You can find them performing late at the Aurora Spiegeltent in Russell Square. After grabbing a few drinks at the pop-up bars, take your friends, or a date, to a show that’s guaranteed to end the night with a whole lot of laughs.
These four chiselled acrobats tell the story of misguided scientists, employees of an authoritarian pharmaceutical corporation, attempting to find the Elixir of Life. The catch: they must test the colourful concoctions on themselves. What unfolds is a spectacle blending skilled athletic feats with storytelling and playful tease.
One of the most compelling elements of Elixir Revived is the slapstick physical comedy. This being my first time at a Head First Acrobatics show, it was a lot funnier than I had expected, eliciting many laugh-out-loud moments.
Dialogue is scarce, with most of the humour delivered through physical theatre. The performers rely on exaggerated movement, body language and sharp audience interaction to land their jokes. The opening night audience ate it up: the performers’ comedic timing was spot on.
Every creative choice is deliberate to enhance the humour. The sound design, for example, cleverly swings between dramatic action-movie-style music and mundane elevator music to match the storyline.
Each acrobat is given time to show off their distinct, individual talents. From aerial ropes to knife throwing to stunts with ladders and blocks, the group throws themselves around the stage in daring stunts with confidence. In the process, they strip down to gaudy velvet underwear, much to the audience’s delight.
Watching the acrobats execute their ‘don’t-try-this-at-home’ style stunts is genuinely nerve-wracking. Like many other audience members, I found myself audibly gasping on many occasions.
Depending where you’re sitting, you can see the action from almost any angle, and the acrobats have nowhere to hide as they put their bodies on the line.
The show is less Magic Mike, more Cirque du Soleil, but with minimal clothing. The routines are predominantly played for laughs and shock factor, rather than seduction.
What truly elevates the performance, from an audience perspective, is the performers’ evident enjoyment in what they’re doing. They’re having as much fun on stage as we are in the audience.
Elixir Revived offers exactly what many people seek from the arts: a welcome distraction from reality and a chance to laugh at moments of absurdity. It’s silly, raunchy and undeniably entertaining.
Yet, beneath the surface, it could also be read as a satirical reflection of contemporary anxieties. That is, the obsession that powerful, authoritarian billionaires have with finding a way to live longer, or forever. Watching the subtle mocking of corporate ambition in a show, and industry, that undoubtedly relies on community support is gratifying.
Without a doubt, Elixir Revived is a must-see Perth Fringe World show if you’re looking for an exciting night out and you love a circus act. Even if it’s just to see four snatched men do audacious stunts in velvet undies, make sure to visit them at the Pleasure Gardens while you can!
Elixir Revived runs to 15 February as part of 2026 Fringe World Perth. The Aurora Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden, Russell Square, James St, Northbridge WA 6003.
Tickets: https://fringeworld.com.au/whats-on/elixir-revived-fw2026
Website: https://www.headfirstacrobats.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/headfirstacrobats/
Photo credits: Jason Matz
