If the gods of Mount Olympus were reincarnated as five ridiculously buff Australian larrikins with a questionable respect for clothing, Return of the Godz would probably be the result.
Head First Acrobats return to Sydney Fringe Festival with a gloriously camp, outrageously funny and frequently jaw-dropping circus show combining Greek mythology, incredible feats of strength and enough homoerotic energy to power the Parthenon.
Cal Harris as Hercules, Thomas Gorham as Hermes, Liam Dummer as Cupid, Mat Piva as Apollo and AJ Saltalamacchia as Dionysus swagger onto the stage as a pantheon unlike anything the Ancient Greeks could have imagined. These gods are cheeky, competitive, childish and completely aware of how good they look with their shirts off. Imagine Mount Olympus crossed with an Australian backyard barbecue and you’re somewhere close.
The brilliance of Return of the Godz is that underneath all the silliness sits some seriously impressive circus talent. Head First Acrobats continually remind us that while these five may appear to be mucking around, what they’re physically capable of doing is extraordinary. Bodies are thrown, balanced, twisted and stacked into seemingly impossible positions, showcasing remarkable strength, control and, perhaps most importantly, trust.
And then someone makes a dick joke.
That contrast is where the show thrives. Just when something threatens to become genuinely majestic, the performers gleefully puncture the moment with another piece of stupidity. It is irreverent in the best possible way and refreshingly uninterested in taking itself seriously.
Harris, Gorham, Dummer, Piva and Saltalamacchia have terrific chemistry, capturing the rivalry and bravado you might expect from Greek gods while bringing a distinctly Australian larrikin quality to the proceedings. They bounce off one another brilliantly, each getting opportunities to showcase their individual talents while remaining part of an incredibly strong ensemble.
The homoeroticism is dialled gloriously high, with plenty of flexing, suggestive positions and the sort of physical comedy that takes full advantage of having five very buff men on stage. As the show gets increasingly ridiculous, the costumes get increasingly smaller until, yes, eventually the gods are completely naked. Somehow, in the world Head First Acrobats have created, it makes perfect sense.
Most importantly, Return of the Godz is laugh-out-loud funny. Head First Acrobats understand that circus doesn’t need to be distant, mysterious or overly serious to be impressive. These mythical figures instead feel like five mates continually daring each other to do something more ridiculous.
But behind all the laughs is an exceptional group of circus performers. The strength required is obvious, but the precision, timing and trust between the five is equally impressive. Making something this physically demanding look like five mates simply messing around is perhaps the show’s greatest trick.
There is something wonderfully uncomplicated about the experience. Come for the Greek mythology, stay for the extraordinary acrobatics and enjoy the absolute chaos that happens in between.
Return of the Godz is strong, stupid, sexy and spectacular – a gloriously irreverent collision of circus, comedy and Greek mythology that is exactly the sort of show Sydney Fringe Festival should be serving up.
The gods have returned, and they’re absolute larrikins.
– The other Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig is an international performer and has established himself as a trusted theatre specialist on the Sydney Arts Scene. While he understands the technical side of theatre, Dan writes for the everyday theatregoer (unlike some of those more prominent publications). When not in the audience, he loves to travel the world and try new gins.
Return of the Godz runs for 2 hours 40 minutes (with a 20-minute interval) and plays at the Entertainment Quarter – Fool’s Paradise – The Virago through 11 October 2026. Tickets are available through The Sydney Fringe.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were guests of Original Spin
Image credit: Sourced
