Rachel Atlas's autobiographical, humourous and ultimately heart-warming show was part of the Taranaki Arts Festival Right Royal Cabaret Festival this June.
Rachel Atlas's autobiographical, humourous and ultimately heart-warming show was part of the Taranaki Arts Festival Right Royal Cabaret Festival this June.
A show involving sword swallowing and knife throwing is obviously going to be edge-of-your-seat kind of stuff, and Rachel Atlas’s Gag Reflex certainly has the audience on the edge of their seats and holding their breath throughout.
Not, however, just because of those incredibly sharp and dangerous knives. Although -the point where Rachel explains to her transfixed audience just how easily swallowing two swords could go wrong if she lets them slip certainly does get a collective gasp from all watching. No, the edge-of-the-seat, breath-holding stuff comes as Rachel shares her life story with her audience.
Given her life has included stints as a stripper, dominatrix, sex worker and, of course, carnival star through knife throwing and sword swallowing, it’s not that surprising her life story should be gripping, but it’s the way she delivers that story that leaves you speechless.
Hearing her speak is like watching a TED talk delivered by a sexy, beautiful, intelligent and empowered woman wearing very little, who occasionally takes breaks from delivering their powerful message to have a sip of water or, you know, swallow a few swords.
While the content is obviously R18, I would actually have no qualms about taking my 15-year-old daughter to this show. Or my 18-year-old son actually. Because the message she delivers and the overall feeling you leave with is one of female empowerment, of claiming back our own bodies and removing shame in order to liberate ourselves. It’s a message everyone should hear, be they teenagers first learning that society wants to dictate how we should dress and behave, through to mature adults who are still fighting to find acceptance from the only person that matters - themselves. This show deserves a spot at every festival in every country, it needs to be seen and heard and it has the power to be truly life-changing for some who see it.
Rachel’s story is ultimately one of triumph, but she doesn’t shy away from the non-triumphal parts. She shares her highs and her lows, and she does so unapologetically. This show is possibly the jewel in the crown of this year’s Taranaki Arts Festival Trust (TAFT) Right Royal Cabaret Festival lineup, and the team at TAFT are to be applauded for bringing such incredible, empowering and important theatre to Taranaki.
