Forbidden Fantasy

Magic, mayhem & mischief collide in a wild night of circus, burlesque, comedy & dark arts. Oakland’s most spectacular show awaits!

Magic! Mayhem! Monsters and mermaids! Dark arts, bawdy bards, deviant dragons and dangerous daredevils collide in a wild ride through the looking glass to the worlds of Fantasy. Leap down the rabbit hole into one of our most popular shows of the year as we celebrate the vast canvas of the fantastical! Come roll for initiative and see flaming elvish violins, harlequin juggling, fey pole dancers, D&D doms, hip hop wizards and more!

The East Bay Express calls Ruckus “the most consistently spectacular event Oakland has ever seen.” Every month brings a brand new lineup and a different flavor of chaos, with audience-interactive mayhem and unfiltered entertainment! No reruns, no repeat acts.

Featuring the wildest variety of acts you’ll see anywhere:

• Uncensored circus

• Stand up comedy

• Burlesque

• Pole performance

• Freestyle rap battles

• Aerial artistry

• Beat-boxing

• Slam poetry & Dirty Haiku Bouts

• Shocking sideshow

• Breakdancing

• Full-throttle audience mayhem

Fast, loud and absolutely alive.

The Huffington Post called us “one of the best underground performance art shows in America.”

Both the freestyle rap battle and the slam have open sign-ups with $400 in cash prizes, judged by YOU, the audience. Every show is a one-night riot, and once it’s done, it’s gone.

Hosted by Jamie DeWolf (HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, NPR’s Snap Judgment) and Wonder Dave (Mental Health Comedy Hour), with masters of mayhem DizzyfromEarlier and Little Glitter Bomb, and our very special stage crew the Wu Tang of Weird.