Stunts can truly be deadly

Husband and wife circus artists Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman prepare one of their Seven...
Husband and wife circus artists Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman prepare one of their Seven Deadly Stunts for their show at the New Athenaeum, in Dunedin, tomorrow. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
This may be one of those shows you do not want to sit in the front row for.

Rollicking Entertainment's Seven Deadly Stunts, at the New Athenaeum, in Dunedin, contains chainsaw-juggling, walking on broken glass, setting someone on fire, using a whip to trim small flowers in someone's mouth and other nail-biting experiences inspired by the life and times of Harry Houdini.

Some may ask: ``what could possibly go wrong?''

Husband and wife circus artists Lizzie Tollemache and David Ladderman say ``plenty''.

The show, which runs from tomorrow night until Saturday, contains the seven most notorious and deadly stunts in carny history.

Mr Ladderman said well-trained people had been seriously injured and even killed doing some of the stunts in their show.

``They're all really dangerous stunts.

``We talk in parts about some of the people who have done these acts, and what has happened to them.''

Ms Tollemache said they had gone to great lengths to make sure they, and of course the audience, were out of harm's way.

``We never use audience volunteers.

``We've taken a lot of steps and trained for years to make sure that we're making it as safe as possible.

``But it's live - there's always a chance that something could go

wrong.''

It was what made the show so alluring, she said.

``What's really exciting for us is we have this moment that we and the audience are all sharing at the same time, that anticipation and building tension, waiting to see if we walk away safe.

``And that release when we're OK - there's an amazing sense of catharsis.

``I've never seen a crowd get so immediately engaged as when there is a genuine risk to the performer.''

She said it was intoxicating, but it came at a cost. Both have been injured while doing the stunts.

``We've burnt and blistered our throats, our mouths and our fingers learning the fire stuff.

``And I've cut my feet open learning how to do the glass walk.''

While it would be enough to put most people off or send them to hospital, Mr Ladderman said it just inspired them to train harder so it hopefully did not happen again.

The Christchurch duo are actors, circus artists and variety entertainers who produce and tour original work around the world.

Between them, they have performed at more than 50 festivals in nine countries and won numerous awards, including the Iron Chicken - the World Buskers' Festival's critics' choice award.

 

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