‘Love is magic’ was the theme of The Garden of Unearthly Delights exclusive, Peter and Bambi Heaven: The Magic Inside. It was a true blue ‘Goldy’ welcome from the Sunshine Coast. The dynamic real-life husband and wife duo, Peter and Bambi, brought the audience into their weird and wonderful world of performance through the icebreaker of a strip show!
The stripping was shortly followed by an interpretive dance and song based around the main theme; ‘love is magic’. Both wore glittering, bold-coloured outfits, crafted with outstanding ‘bling’ and sequin detailing on each flamboyant piece.
Peter and Bambi are played by none other than award-winning comedians Asher Treleaven (Le Soiree) and Gypsy Wood (Chaser’s War On Everything) who created the show together, inspired by their own lives in the entertainment industry. “The show is a complete parody,” says Asher.
“Everything we are doing in this ridiculous comedy/cabaret performance is just parodying all the things we took seriously earlier on in our lives as professional performers.”
Being married in real life, we asked the pair how that dynamic impacted the making of the show. They replied: “There’s a lot of grey area where we don’t know if it is real or if it is acting; there are a lot of real scenes and a lot of truth behind the acts.”
“It’s a bit like Mr and Mrs Smith, when Angelina and Brad fall in love but are at each other’s throat 24/7. That’s like us.”
The comedy throughout the spectacle was a hilarious, nonsensical combination of mime, dance and song. This incorporated the purposeful, yet clumsy mishaps performed on stage, all of which were relatable to the whole audience. Booming laughter circulated around the room each time something went wrong, it was a completely silly and satirical form of entertainment enjoyed by all.
Singing was followed by the likes of ‘Ninja Wizard’ (not-so-magical), and ‘Great Barrier Grief’ comedy acts. These both encapsulated Australia, and what it means to have a very Australian and often ‘dry’ sense of humour. Both Peter and Bambi truly embrace Australia in all it’s glory, and the chemistry between the captivating ensemble makes for a truly lovable show.
We rate: ★★★ 3.5/5 stars
Image: Adelaide Fringe