The effects of a simple, well executed concept are amazing. Japanese dance troupe/human video game Siro-A execute the idea of lights, movement and music to entertain audiences in a zany way. They blend techno music, light shows, and puppetry (of sorts) in a show that suits an audience of all ages.
Are you a man in your 40s? Siro-A have 80s and 90s references from your childhood figured out in dance form. Are you a 7-year-old child? No worries – there are enough physical gags here to keep you entertained. It’s a good thing, then, that the Japanese dance troupe are here in Sydney over the January school holiday period.
Perhaps it’s their reliance on movement and light that makes their appeal universal. A visual gag is a visual gag, no matter where in the world you come from — whether you are young or young at heart.
Siro-A have been huge hits in the USA and in Europe, and performed on both America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent. This Sydney tour is their first, and it surely won’t be their last. It’s easy to see how they’ve been travelling the world with their high-energy shows.
They use a fair amount of audience participation gags, some of which, if truth be told, are a little awkward initially. However, the end result (they take photos of various audience members and use the photos as part of one of their endearing skits) works well, and the crowd were delighted by the effects.
Siro-A’s forte is in their visual and physical humour. The group is made up of mostly dancers, and combined with their stage lighting expertise, they are able to convey humour in a visually delightful way.
Their best skit involved shadow puppetry with balls bouncing after them. Playing with depth, movement, and tricks of the eye, props appeared bigger than in reality, and therefore brought about a fair amount of sight gags. Balls transformed into a human being. Boxes became extra screens for extra effects. It was interesting to be a part of, even if it was slightly zany.
Siro-A are an entertaining troupe, designed to offer audiences a chance to escape into their madcap technicolour electric lightshow of a world. No matter your age, or even where you are sitting in the crowd, they’ll captivate you with their energy and fun.
– Erica
Erica Enriquez-Clemente writes about whatever she can about whatever Sydney has going on. When she’s not writing, she’s fallen asleep in front of the TV, because the latest episode of The Walking Dead had left her emotionally exhausted. She’s on Instagram as @ee_clemente.
Siro-A is performs until 29 January at The Concourse, Chatswood at various times daily. Purchase tickets now.
The venue is accessible.
