6 Degrees | Chimera Arts
Image: The Undercover Artist Festival
‘Six degrees of separation’ is the theory that we are each socially connected through no more than six contacts. 6 Degrees is a collaborative work between Chimera Arts and Flipside Circus, which supported the creation through its Artist-in-Residence program.
It is timely to be reminded by the Chimera Arts creatives and cast about Stanley Milgram’s groundbreaking study that led to the concept of ‘six degrees of separation.’ Suggesting that strong social networks might be used to spark transformation, 6 Degrees is set in a dystopian future world where ‘power goes unquestioned,’ and explores how imagined and real walls can be torn down when asking ‘what would our world look like if we truly reached for each other.’
Chimera Arts’ Artistic Director and Choreographer, Lauren Watson—in conjunction with Mia Hughes and Zoe Joiner (Flipside Circus Acrobatic Facilitators and Choreographers)—has created a bold new work that explores the ways in which our lives are often closely inter-connected, and the potential of that social network. The use of ‘100 metres of chunky yarn’ is a clever device to reinforce messages about connection, and about the unravelling of power, represented through the excellent set design, and in the ways in which the artists gradually tear down the barriers and emerge from underneath the pieces.
I also interpret some of the early 6 Degrees elements as being the coming to life of the individuals—starting with their emerging from the primordial soup, before gradually standing on their own two feet, fighting and posturing for position, adopting individual personas, and then finding how they (sometimes quite literally) are connected and can begin to work together.
Watson has selected an excellent cast of artist performers for 6 Degrees, creating a work that is at times powerful, moving, and inspiring. Congratulations to the 6 Degrees team of artist performers: Chaos Beth, Jordan Erikson, Callum Cornish, Eve Timmins, Alastair Lette, Aline Chapet-Batlle, and Rosie Albina. I have lots of favourite moments from this show, starting with the floorwork ‘dressing,’ which was a funny and acrobatic way to reveal the individual characters of the members of the oppressed community. I was entranced by the powerful work on the suspended hoop—so much so that I was at first worried that the yarn break was an accident and not intentional. And the work on aerial straps was a moving and powerful demonstration of artistic skill and professionalism.
The closing movements of the show were particularly moving. The fantastic, skilful, red-lit aerial rope solo had everyone holding their breath at the strong climbing, unfurling, and work on the rope—set to one of many excellent musical choices. And the powerful climax of the show, that included the artists working together and climbing upwards to create a memorable final image, set against the aerial rope, was a special way in which to close 6 Degrees.
Undercover Artists Festival provides a great platform to celebrate and promote the work of talented performing artists and creatives with disability, and it’s great to see the ways in which various local arts groups collaborate and work together. The Chimera Arts 6 Degrees has clearly benefited from the support of Flipside Circus, and I am sure the Flipside Circus team will have equally benefited from this opportunity. I look forward to seeing the future success of the Chimera Arts and Flipside Circus emerging artists and workers.
6 Degrees was a great way to start my ‘Undercover Artists Festival 10th Birthday’ journey. The 2025 program, run in conjunction with Brisbane Festival, has an exciting selection of work, so even if you miss the chance to catch 6 Degrees, I am sure there will be other shows that will intrigue, entertain and challenge audiences.
6 Degrees played at Diane Cilento Studio, Queensland Theatre from 23-24 September 2025 as part of the 2025 Undercover Artist Festival. The reviewer attended the Tuesday, 23 September world premiere performance (4pm).
