Hysteria | Chelsea McGuffin & Co and Backbone
I find circus to be a great interpretative tool to represent mental distress. Very much like mental health, the success of circus relies on balancing skills. The main act of Hysteria was funambulism (tightrope), with performers walking and even cycling on the rope throughout the show. What I appreciated the most about these acts of funambulism was when the performers walked together, balanced each other out, and helped each other getting to the other side of the rope. Again, just like mental health, circus is better with the support of other.
In the Arms of Morpheus | Robbie Curtis & ARC Circus
With In the Arms of Morpheus, Robbie Curtis not only solidifies himself as a performer to watch, he pushes the boundaries of storytelling in contemporary circus. Through outstanding skills and impressive staging, he showcases how well circus can tell moving and immersive narratives.
Collision | Casus Circus & Mad Dance House
I am an enthusiast of circus acrobatics and hip hop dance, but admittedly I never thought of these two next to one another. Both these physical practices involve impressive feats, but they engage bodies very differently. Bodies in circus acrobatics move vertically, and “slow” is the magic word. Hip hop relies on quick feet, isolations, and power moves. And while circus acrobatics and hip hop dance are so different, I was pleased to see how they were harmonised in Collision.
![Cinemata Circus [May 2021] | Vulcana Circus](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64c498e140a63f71397ea8cc/1690848711602-Q1PUPWVJ38YIYMURDLCX/IMG_5296.jpeg)
Cinemata Circus [May 2021] | Vulcana Circus
Vulcana definitely challenges any stereotypical notions of superstars, or a hierarchy amongst the talent; and they often blur the lines of audience and performer too. These are all gaps once thought impossible to bridge; and just another of the reasons, Cinemata Circus is such an exciting addition to the regular arts scene. If you want to be among the stars for the night, this is definitely the wagon to hitch yourself to!
DISTURBO | Bare Legs Circus
DISTURBO is a striking exploration of self-revelation and relationship, of queer embodiment and emancipation. I am going to throw it into the ring of New Circus, an uncategorizable cacophony of circus skills, drag, kitsch, acrodance, movement, storytelling, music, mime, and physical theatre.
Utopia! And the Calamity Caravan | Observatory Theatre
Using circus, tap dance and clowning, the team at Observatory Theatre have made a vibrant and lively adventure story that is sure to please the kiddos. This is a pretty good first draft of a fun family show, and I genuinely enjoyed it and would like to see it transformed into a real winner, so I am going to put on my circus producer hat for this one.
Vasilissa | Sylph Circus & Sirin Ensemble
I hope that Sylph Circus continues this path in future productions, finding other girl-centred stories to tell, to share, to enjoy the creating and performing of, to embed knowledge and learn it joyously, to share it with whomsoever comes to trip down the forest path on a crisp morning in autumn.
Sometimes I Say Your Name Out Loud | Moment of Inertia & Collectivist
As I entered the space that ‘Sometimes I Say Your Name Out Loud’ inhabited, I noticed the warm aura immediately and felt drawn to take a seat in the front row, which is unusual for me. The set and lighting felt whimsical and almost childlike, with a paper lantern in the shape of a boat hanging above the stage.
Absolute Trash | Glitter Martini
Each one of the circus acts was incredibly well-polished and a real pleasure to watch. These are circus artists with a truckload of experience under their belt, performing some quite technical tricks that had me mesmerised from the very first to the very last moment.
Sometimes I Say Your Name Out Loud | Collectivist & Moment of Inertia
As the curtain rises, we meet the three caretakers of death, the Priestess with her goddesslike aura and picturesque flower crown, Mort with her sickle and Ronnie, a janitor clown who captured our hearts with all of her imperfections and her endearing smile.
Over The Back Fence | Vulcana Circus
Boasting more than 10 different acts across four venues, this was an immersive, engaging, and exciting journey, part way between a mystery tour and the best school excursion you’ve ever been on (only with no teachers and more beer).
Ingress | Bridie Hooper
The show was richly layered with all manner of symbolism, and heavily dosed with extremely high-level acrobatics. And of course, youthful vigour is itself a kind of immortality, for who can imagine being weak when one is full of strength? In the summer of life one cannot conceive of the winter of the body. But being young is not an immunity from self reflection, self doubt, self loathing, and self flagellation.
Booff | Clint Bolster
A delightfully imposing clown, when captured in the intimate setting of the tea room, Booff becomes even larger than life. I felt quite giddy, it’s such a space to step into, an otherworldly experience. If you were to enter this beautiful parlour from the chaos of a summer festival, you would be instantly transported to another world entirely. In this Booff has done that most perfect of magic theatre tricks, he has made the outside go away and the inside somewhere else.
The Secret Ingredient | Hoopla Clique
The two cooks scamper in and out of the kitchen, the apprentice in search of a squeaky mouse and the tipsy chef convinced there is no such rodent. A range of improbable ingredients are added into the sauce, and there’s the age-old argument over doing the dishes. It’s not the tidiest kitchen to start with, but by the end of the day, it’s a right royal mess.
Rear Vision | Vulcana
Ever the innovators in live performance, Vulcana offers us the perfect way to consume the arts in the time of COIVID; drive-in circus. Safely ensconced in our cars, we are catapulted into the world of the performers through a gorgeous soundscape playing on our stereos created by Brisbane’s maestro of sound, Anna Whitaker, and the captivating poetry of Angela Pieta. Our headlights are used for lighting at times and the performers try to connect with us through our individual cells.
Rear Vision | Vulcana
The show tread gracefully the emotional arc from the trepidation of this year’s beginning, to the desolation and disquietude of its middle, to the elation at its approaching ending, and touched on themes of the pain of seeking human connection in a physically distanced world, the fragility of ‘normality’, and the power of collective action.
Apocalipstick | Polytoxic
Apocalipstick used drag and gender-fuckery to engage the audience through laughter, the absurd, and the excess. There is nothing better to make someone think about serious issues than to make them laugh! Laughter sits with you in a light vein and it makes you come back to the funny sketch again and again looking for one more laugh. Drag invites laughter by highlighting the contradictions of gender through the excess: hoping for a fuck, office tape and markers become the perfect beauty tools for a face-lift and make-up, and thin-glass toxic masculinity is the weapon of the man looking for acceptance in the wolf pack.
The G.O.A.T. Show | Shock Therapy Productions
We sit on fold-out chairs on the front lawn of an abandoned house on Chevron Island. A table piled with iceberg lettuces sits beside a temporary stage. Our hosts, two men in neon coloured suits, are offering pickled onions from the jar, sardines from the can and melons ripped apart with their bare hands. They take it upon themselves to gently whack some audience members with fly swatters, despite the lack of flies. Ah, yes, hospitality.
Circus’cision | Head First Acrobats & Guests
Growing up in rural Australia, the circus is just that: the cliché one that would come to town every now and then. There wasn’t anything particularly bad about those circuses, but they never could grab my attention in the way Circus’cision does. It’s different and brands itself on being a more adult oriented circus cabaret promising delightfully offensive language and the tease of potential nudity.
Bearded Bingo | Briefs Factory and Cluster Arts
Hosted by the very glamorous Shivannah, Thom and Captain Kidd, the mid morning was full of chaotic energy as each contestant fought to be the first one to complete their bingo combination. These very sexcellent bingo combinations included the little willy (one top, one middle, one bottom), the full house (everything), the hourglass (three top, two middle, three bottom) and Tasmania (three top, two middle, one bottom).