ADL Fringe 26: La Ronde

In case you needed your yearly reminder to join a yoga class, La Ronde is here to make that painfully clear.

Strut & Fret know how to throw a party. That much is undeniable. And with La Ronde, they’ve once again assembled a lineup of performers so outrageously skilled it almost feels rude to blink.

The talent? Unquestionable. The physical control, the grip strength, the aerial audacity - all elite. Every performer on that stage could headline their own show and sell it out. They absolutely deserve their chocolates.

But here’s the thing.

La Ronde is built on escalation - bigger tricks, faster spins, higher stakes. And when it hits, it really hits. The first time you see a jaw-dropping stunt, your heart genuinely lurches. But as some acts continued, that initial awe softened into something more familiar. Once the ceiling had been smashed, repeating variations of the same feat started to feel less like tension-building and more like déjà vu. I caught myself checking the time - never a crime, but not ideal in a one-hour spectacle.

Homegrown Aussie hero Danik was a clear crowd favourite. His hand-balancing strength is ridiculous, the kind of control that makes your wrists ache in sympathy. And then - he slipped. Fell clean off the ladder mid-act. For a split second the room froze. Yet it was one of the most compelling moments of the night. Not because we're gluttons for failure, but because it reminded us these performers are operating at the razor’s edge. The danger became real. The stakes shot up. When he climbed back up, the applause felt earned in a way polish alone can’t manufacture.

Visually, it’s slick and unmistakably Strut & Fret. But compared to their more narrative-driven work like Blanc de Blanc and The Party, La Ronde feels looser - more a collection of high-octane acts than a cohesive journey. If you love pure spectacle, you’ll be thrilled. If you crave a through-line or emotional arc, you might leave wanting just a touch more.

It’s sexy. It’s polished. It’s stacked with world-class talent. But for me, it didn’t quite soar the way some of their other productions have. Still - I had a strong night out, and if you're new to the Strut & Fret scene, you'll be left awestruck.

Buy tickets to La Ronde here.