Sideshow stuntwoman: From nerd to modern day Houdini

Rollicking Entertainment Presents
Seven Deadly Stunts

What drives someone to walk on broken glass, swallow fire or juggle a chainsaw? In Seven Deadly Stunts, real life married couple David Ladderman and Lizzie Tollemache celebrate seven of the most notorious stunts in carnie history, along with the stories of how and why they exist. The couple will put their bodies- and their marriage- on the line. Performing each of the seven stunts live, every night, requires total trust. They hope to make it through the season with no major injuries… Unlike the inventors of each stunt.

For Lizzie Tollemache, it was an unexpected journey from child who was afraid of everything, to the mysterious, dangerous world of circus and sideshow. A nerdy weirdo, who graduated Year 13 at the age of 16, Lizzie went from breakdown to bartender to actor to carnie in 12 months, through a series of bizarre coincidences in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes. Lizzie now performs sideshow stunts everywhere from WOMAD and Splore through to the Dubai International Comedy Festival and UK university tours. She is also the creative director of Rollicking Entertainment. She proposed to David in 2014, and after 3 years of marriage they now makes shows that risk his neck as well as hers. Lizzie believes performing these dangerous stunts, acts as a release or catharsis for the audience… and also for herself.

“Before, everything scared the s*** out of me but I had no outlet for the fear and tension. My mental health was all over the place. Now, we take all our day to day stresses- running a business, paying our mortgage- and transfer them into a physical focus. Catch the spinning chainsaw. Control the fuel, flames and bare skin. Then the adrenaline rush when you take your bow and you made it, you survived? Facing and conquering a very real threat burns away all the day to day anxiety.” - Lizzie Tollemache

“Edge of your seat, breathtaking fun” – Onstage Ottawa, Canada

“Circus Spectacular… Unforgettable theatrical showbiz” – The Press, NZ

“Mind-boggling territory with distinctive vintage flair” - Hull Daily Mail, UK

Rollicking Entertainment – Seven Deadly Stunts

Dates: Wed 16 May – Sat 19 May, 7pm
Venue: Fortune Theatre, Dunedin
Tickets: $25 - $30
Bookings: fortunetheatre.co.nz // 03 477 8323

© Scoop Media