Sirqus Alfon: I Am Somebody ·
The Rechabite, 23 January 2020 ·
Review Craig McKeough ·

This is a show designed in and for the age of social media and selfies.

Keep your phones out during the performance, photos and video encouraged, don’t forget the hashtag – #sirqusalfon – and share, share, share!

Chances are you’ll see quite a bit of that hashtag during this Fringe because Sirqus Alfon’s I Am Somebody is an instantly likeable and hugely Instagrammable piece of performance art.

The Swedish trio delivers a loud, bright and brash mash-up of music, light sculpture, clowning and circus skills that thrives on the energy that comes from an engaged audience.

It’s a sensory overload as the flashing lights, thumping techno music and piercing laser show blast through the room.

The big screen on stage allows for liberal use of computer effects and the instant playback of what is happening in the room.

There is no letting up for the full 60 minutes, and it’s hard not to be swept up in it.

Highlights include an intriguing piece where the trio seems to play a giant musical instrument with laser beams as strings.

It is all topped off with a hilarious and cleverly staged routine where the performers lie on the floor with their images projected on the big screen, giving the illusion of amazing feats of strength and balance.

Amid this intensity, there are only glimpses of the people behind the three protagonists.

What we saw of Babham, Ejve and Emilio was quite delightful, but I was left wanting a bit more personality and a bit less of the assault on my senses.

And there are issues with actually seeing what is going on during parts of the performance – the flat auditorium floor with portable seats crammed close together puts action on the stage floor out of view for many in the audience.

That said, I Am Somebody is a life-affirming, crowd-pleasing hour and will no doubt be a sought-after ticket for its extended Fringe run.

It’s also a good chance to have a close-up look at the Rechabite – the reborn multi-level, multi-use venue in the heart of Northbridge.

I Am Somebody runs daily until 16 February 2020 (no show on Mondays)

Sirqus Alfon members Ejve, left, and, on the big screen, Babham, help deliver I Am Somebody‘s loud, bright and brash mash-up of music, light sculpture, clowning and circus skills.