In the future people are more kind, the world accepts individuality, and everything gets better in general. At least that is the future we are led to believe exists by the good folk from the Briefs Factory in their new show, Briefs: Close Encounters.

Held at Bonython Hall at the RCC, Briefs: Close Encounters is a mixture of performance art, circus, and dance, all performed by the scantily-clad, muscular men from the Briefs Factory production company. With the premise being that the cast of Briefs have arrived in our time from the future, each performance piece is linked loosely to this theme, mixing in some social commentary for good measure.

There is a lot to love about Briefs: Close Encounters. The circus is absolutely spectacular, the dance sequences performed expertly, and large amounts of humour is throughout the performance pieces. The social commentary around gender and sexuality was extremely on point and went down well with the audience. On top of this, the overall production was absolutely top-notch, with the sound and lighting designed and timed so well it was almost another element of the show on its own.

The only criticism of the show itself would perhaps be that emcee Shivannah’s interludes went slightly too long so as to disrupt the flow of the performances, but that was so slight that it had no real effect on my enjoyment of the show. What was probably a larger concern was that the show started half an hour late without any explanation. Technical difficulties and the like do happen, but when you are still in a line outside the venue twenty minutes after the show should’ve started restlessness will occur. Luckily the show is so good that this issue was almost forgotten by the end.

Briefs: Close Encounters is a fun escape from reality, with everything about it larger-than-life and spectacular. Each performance will probably contain something that you will find either amazing or hilarious. This is definitely a show to see before the end of Fringe.

4.5 Stars

Briefs: Close Encounters runs until Saturday 16^th of March. Buy tickets HERE.

By Tania Nicholas