Crème de la Crème is the lucky dip of Fringe performances. You take a seat and get a taste of what’s on offer in Fool’s Paradise: aerial acrobatics, juggling, magic, dance and playful skits.

Our host for the evening was Head First Acrobats’ Cal Harris, who immediately engaged the audience with playful jokes filled with innuendo, setting the tent abuzz with anticipation.

Chelsea Angell took to the stage first, dazzling the audience with perfectly choreographed hula-hoop theatrics, while the duo from Love Life Laundry made a guest appearance, their hilarious antics second only to their incredible dual aerial stunts.

While the stage was altered between performers, Harris entertained the crowd with silly quips and skits.

A delightful balloon mouse… you’d never know where it’s been.

One of these skits saw him insert a balloon up his nose and pull it through his mouth to a serenade of awestruck and sickened laughter from the audience. He promptly pulled it back out his nose, tied it into a delightful balloon mouse and gifted it to me – much to the disgust of my partner beside me.

While the staging was simple, lighting accentuated each performance, whether it was lasers casting light off spinning hula hoops, smoke billowing beneath death-defying aerialists or blue light vividly revealing a dancer’s fluorescent attire.

The cast didn’t let mistakes detract from their performance; if something went wrong, they simply picked up where they left off as the audience gleefully cheered them on.

Many of the performers have other shows in the Fringe, with Crème de la Crème showcasing their talents in bite-sized pieces. Although the individual cast members were excellent, the lack of cohesion and theming between each act made it feel like a showcase rather than a cohesive performance.

We’re told there may be changes to the show later in the Fringe season, as some members of Melbourne-based Head First Acrobats – which is presenting Crème de la Crème and several other productions in Fool’s Paradise – are yet to arrive in Adelaide. Starting from March 3, the line-up will look slightly different as new cast members join the fray.

As a performance tasting platter, Crème de la Crème works a treat.

Crème de la Crème is playing in The Vault at Fool’s Paradise, Victoria Square, until March 18. It is recommended for ages 18+

Read more 2023 Adelaide Fringe stories and reviews on InReview here.