Internationally acclaimed Head First Acrobats have introduced their newest addition to Fringe 2026, with Lash Out, an all-female circus cabaret sensation. Featuring jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics, fire breathing, sultry burlesque and hilarious hosting, expect a circus with bite, beauty and attitude. Lash Out hits Lotterywest De Parel Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden from Wednesday, February 11, to Sunday, February 15, with tickets on sale now. Natasha Paul sat down with Head First Acrobats circus performer Chelsea Angell to find out more about Lash Out‘s WA debut, the show’s entertaining blend of circus and cabaret, and the surprises audiences can look forward to.
It’s great to have you here with us for Fringe World 2026! How are you feeling about performing your circus cabaret show, Lash Out, for the first time in WA?
I’m honestly buzzing! Fringe World is one of my favourite festivals we perform at, so I’m excited to bring this show to our loyal fan base in Perth and show them what else we can bring to the table. Perth audiences always bring the great vibes and energy, so I think Lash Out will really thrive there.
With acrobatics, fire breathing and burlesque, Lash Out is packed with entertainment. How do you think your show differs from other cabaret shows?
What I think sets Lash Out apart is how seamlessly we blend true circus skill with cabaret flair and attitude. You don’t just come for one thing—you get spectacle and sass. The choreography is tight, and the musicality is on point, so every movement feels alive and intentional. Although it is a cabaret format, there’s still a real collaborative spirit onstage, and that makes Lash Out feel like a true ensemble piece.
Lash Out won the Best Variety Show Award at Sydney Fringe 2025. How did it feel to receive this critical acclaim?
That was huge for us! Winning Best Variety Show was very validating. Not that performing is about winning or losing, but it definitely felt like a big nod to all the hard work, late-night music editing, bedazzling costumes and rehearsals that went into making it. For all of us, it reinforced that what we’re doing resonates with audiences and critics alike.
What can audiences look forward to most with Lash Out? Do you have any surprises or special tricks up your sleeve?
Audiences can expect thrills from start to finish! There’s the fire, the aerial spins, the laughs, the jaw-dropping strength work—one of our performers, Jessica Robbins, has merged 2 aerial apparatuses together and has made a new act that I don’t think Perth audiences have ever seen before. With the use of chains and some thigh-high boots, she will be spun around in the air at speeds that will make any person’s jaw drop to the floor in both fear and delight and maybe a dash of nausea.
What are you most looking forward to with Fringe World 2026?
I’m so excited to see the Perth crowd get into it—Fringe World has such an energetic and diverse audience, and Head First Acrobats already have such an amazing following in Perth. Although still very on brand with HFA, we’re ready to show them a slightly different side of circus, strength and comedy.
Lash Out hits Lotterywest De Parel Spiegeltent at The Pleasure Garden from Wednesday, February 11, to Sunday, February 15, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from fringeworld.com.au
