- The Sydney Fringe is reborn with La Ronde at the Grand Electric.
- It’s a wonderfully wild, brilliant aerial extravaganza – with heaps of fun.
- A tiny stage, a small cast – and an enormous show. We loved it.
Our current edition of Sydney Travel Guide covers with a photograph of Diana Bondarenko, the spellbinding aerial artist and one of the stars of La Ronde, the latest Strut & Fret sensation that opened at The Grand Electric last week.
Now that we’ve seen the show, we understand exactly why she made the cover. Diana, along with her six extraordinary castmates, delivers a night of pure, unrestrained spectacle — a daring blend of circus, cabaret, comedy, and seductive artistry that defies gravity and convention.
From the moment the lights dim and a single beam cuts through the smoky haze, La Ronde plunges its audience into a vortex of movement and music. This is no mere variety show — it’s a 90-minute sensory whirlwind. You’ll be laughing one minute at a biscuit loving unicyclist with no clothes on, and holding your breath as a cast of acrobats hang from the ceiling, twirl on poles or climb an unsupported ladder that’s on fire.
that takes the audience from breathless laughter to stunned silence, all within the intimate confines of the Grand Electric’s purpose-built, high-voltage theatre in Surry Hills.
A brilliant cast
The show’s brilliance lies in the chemistry and diversity of its international ensemble:
- Geniris – a dynamic, powerful singer from the Dominican Republic.
- Diana Bondarenko — the Ukrainian aerialist who commands the ceiling with strength and sensual precision.
- Zoe Marshall, an Australian/British hair-hanging artist whose act is as breathtaking as it is bizarre.
- Danik Abishev, the Russian who began training aged four and is now a master of gravity-defying handstands.
- Adam Malone, the Australian powerhouse who balances, flies, and folds his body into impossible shapes while flirting with the audience.
- Sam Goodburn, the British comedian and unicyclist whose balance is matched only by his ability to make you laugh.
- Sergiy Mishchurenko, the Ukrainian flying pole artist whose acrobatic prowess elicits gasps from the crowd.
Together, they form a hit squad of talent that turns the tiny stage into a virtual Big Top.
The La Ronde story
La Ronde is the latest creation from Strut & Fret, the Brisbane-born production powerhouse behind Blanc de Blanc, LIMBO, and The Party. Having honed its formula for immersive circus theatre over two decades, Strut & Fret has once again captured lightning in a bottle.
The show’s origins trace back through its acclaimed iterations across Australia — from its Adelaide Fringe debut, where it earned five-star raves for its “extravagant, stunning, magnificent fun” (Play & Go), to its Newcastle season, where reviewers hailed it as “a glitter-soaked invitation to lose yourself in a world of dazzling feats, funky beats, and glamorous surprises.”
Each stop along the way has refined the show’s rhythm, and by the time it reached Sydney, La Ronde has become a polished, potent cocktail of spectacle and seduction.
The production is a nod to European cabaret and a modern reimagining of the human circus. There are also undertones of the smoky intimacy of 1920s Paris, but also the beat-driven pulse of Berlin nightclubs.
Every element — from the lighting to the live score to the daring costuming — feeds into a mood that is at once decadent and dangerous.
Beauty, danger, and cheeky delight
What sets La Ronde apart from typical circus fare is its unabashed sensuality. The performers play with tension — physical and emotional — in ways that leave the audience exhilarated. The aerial duos, particularly the combination of Bondarenko and Reyes, are astonishing: fluid, muscular, intimate.
Karvovskaya’s hair-hanging sequence, performed under a shower of glittering light, is an astonishing display of what is know as “the hair hang”
It requires years of training to strengthen the hair, scalp, and body, and involves securing the hair with a rigging system to support the performer’s weight
There’s humour too. Sam Goodburn’s antics on a unicycle are riotously funny. Adam Malone’s camp acrobatics combine to create both humour and wonder.
In true Strut & Fret fashion, the show is provocative, thrilling and hilarious. There are no safety nets here — literal or metaphorical — and that’s precisely what makes La Ronde so thrilling.
The Venue: The Grand Electric
In the heart of Surry Hills, The Grand Electric is the perfect home for La Ronde. The venue’s intimate layout ensures no seat is far from the action. Its art deco-meets-industrial interior complements the show’s atmosphere perfectly: edgy, glamorous, a little bit dangerous.
For the full experience, Ringside VIP tickets include a glass of sparkling wine and proximity so close you’ll feel the whoosh of the performers’ flight. Those seeking true indulgence can opt for the Moët Champagne Tables, offering premium views from the stage and bottle service.
La Ronde is perfect for Sydney. Whether you’re a lover of contemporary circus or a curious newcomer, this is one ride you won’t want to miss.
Fast facts
What: La Ronde — A circus-cabaret by Strut & Fret
Where: The Grand Electric, 27 Cope Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
When: Now showing — runs until December
Duration: 90 minutes (including interval)
Tickets: From $75; Tightarse Wednesday discounts available
Showtimes: Wed–Fri 7:30pm; Sat 5:00pm & 7:30pm; Sun 5:30pm
Ages: 15+ (contains mild nudity, strobe lighting, and theatrical haze)
Website: thegrandelectric.com.au
