Sex sells. I know it. You know it. And so does the man behind The Convent, director/producer/co-choreographer/co-lighting designer/co-sound designer Tyrone Anthony.
Be prepared for a steamy evening of sensual attire and pulsating tunes.
Photos by Dominic Dias
Six female dancers, cum acrobats and three males.
That is not to overlook a sensational songstress, who delights and entices.
The theme is relationships in their many hues – the anticipation, the sizzle, the pitfalls and the potholes.
Boys with girls and, in one case, homoeroticism.
High priestess Brooke Boshuizen kicks off proceedings in fetching form.
Think all white and sexy – lingerie, including suspenders, an open, see-through negligee, shiny long boots that reach beyond the kneecaps and a crown.
Over the course of an hour, she is joined by her compatriots – excitable all – and their moves get everyone hot and bothered.
There are several combinations among the performers. One might take the lead and is inevitably joined by others.
The choreographed moves, in sync with the sound and showcased by spot lighting, are electrifying.
Olivia Charalambous is a knockout as a singer par excellence. Those pipes of hers and her ability to tell a tale through song are mighty special.
My favourite was the ditsy song Screw Loose.
A series of voiceovers sees the evening unfold through vignettes tied to the theme of transformation.
It is about liberating our souls and unleashing our inner desires.
Here there is no judgment or shame, just open hearts, sexual freedom, self-expression, discovery and empowerment.
There is a certain irony in the fact that the venue is named Temperance Hall, which smacks of restraint, but then all plays out against a cross, lit-up in many hues.
The church is supposedly a place of sanctity and the set sees the girls and guys emerging from gilt-edged red curtains.
The Convent is quite the spectacle, met with frenzied applause and wolf whistles aplenty.
The performers are top shelf. They cavort, they tease and they transfix.
They don’t hold back. They give their all.
Charli Meath’s bathtub acrobatics and Brooke Williams on a moving ring above a pole are among the many highlights, the latter in the wake of a proposal.
So, too, the high leaping Taylor Diamond, who plays Lord Nate.
In fact, there is not a weak leak in the show.
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