Dumtectives in Cirque Noir
From the prolific, internationally acclaimed Dummies Corp, comes a killer new circus comedy for adults, Dumtectives in Cirque Noir. Lacing Circus into the genre of ‘Film Noir,’ the world premiere show takes noir’s murder mystery tradition and flips it on its head with a slapstick kick.
Set in a by-gone era of cheap dames and dirty dicks, Dumtectives in Cirque Noir smashes together devilish, wow-worthy stunts with guns, fun, and innuendo. It’s got all the 1940s whodunnit cheek of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, with an MA15+ rating.
Starring the multi-award-winning, acrobatically-agile and comedically gifted performers Amy Nightingale-Olsen, Thomas McDonald and Leigh Rhodes, this brand spanking new extravaganza will play The Famous Spiegeltent from6 – 18 April.
Founded by Jamie Bretman, Jack Coleman and Simon Wright in 2012, Dummies Corp have been delighting audiences young and old with a nuanced blend of circus, comedy and imaginative play, creating shared and treasured experiences for families across Australia and around the world.
Bretman, Coleman and Wright are highly skilled circus performers who created Trash Test Dummies in 2013 and have been touring nationally and internationally ever since. They have performed for sell-out crowds and have been critically acclaimed in Australia, Asia and Europe winning a host of awards including the coveted Best Children’s Presentation at Adelaide Fringe Festival 2015. The company are firm favourites on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival program each year and continue to delight fans young and old with their trademark blend of circus, comedy and imagination.
In 2017 Dummies Corp. debuted It’s second creation, Splash Test Dummies, a show of oceanic proportions which immediately became a hit that has continuously toured ever since and received critical acclaim both in Australia and around the world. Due to the success of this show, Trash Test Dummies is now performed by an entirely new cast of Incredible circus comedians.
If current popular proclivities have anything to say, funny is sexy, and comedy is best served dark. Add extraordinary clowning, dynamite slapstick and tantalizing burlesque and you’ve got a night of entertainment that’s sure to blow out your gun barrel and leave your pants moist.
The Dumtectives are on a mission: uncover the murderer, navigate the seductions of a (marionette) femme fatale, and avoid bitter betrayal. Outright chaos ensues, with aerial adventures, knife juggling, thrilling car chases and even interrogations of suspicious looking audience members.
The wildly funny, uproarious spectacle is co-directed by Dummies Corp founder Jamie Bretman and seven-time Green Room nominee Clare Bartholomew, who has directed Dummies Corp shows to great acclaim.
Clare has directed, performed and taught clowns since the 2000s, while her cabaret comedy act Otto & Astrid – Die Roten Punkte has toured internationally no less than 23 times, as the main support act for Amanda Palmer, to London’s Soho Theatre and to Sydney Festival.
Since 2012, Jamie has grown Dummies Corp into Australia’s leading family circus comedy company, with consistent touring around Australia and the world, picking up a slew of awards along the way. This is the company’s first foray into adult theatre.
We’ve had such a scandalous amount of fun dreaming this show up. The Spiegeltent embodies everything that is Cirque Noir, while still giving us the space to surprise…it’s going to be one wild ride! We couldn’t be more thrilled to be bringing the Dumtectives to Melbourne Comedy Festival. I think this kind of tantalising, eye-popping fun might be just what audiences are after, says Jamie.
Dummies Corp have enjoyed worldwide success with sell out seasons at Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s Underbelly, as well as touring USA, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Ireland and the UK with Trash Test Dummies, Splash Test Dummies and the all-female troupe Don’t Mess with the Dummies. The company has been awarded Best Children’s Presentation at Adelaide Fringe Festival 2015, 2016, 2019, Best Circus Award for Perth Fringe World 2015, Best Kids Show Melbourne Fringe 2017 and Children’s Choice Award at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016.
