Category: Circus

Circus, Events, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Circus Oz Presents BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE!

Left wanting more…

By Rachel Holkner

Circus Oz has always performed with such glee and joy, and But Wait… There’s More! is no exception: the performers and the audience are caught up in the joy of simply being a part of a circus. The atmosphere is undeniable, beginning even from collecting tickets to the sounds of the Federation Bells pealing right outside the Big Top.

Circus-Oz-But-Wait…There’s-More

Set in a mottled, crumbling theatre But Wait … There’s More! is the first Circus Oz show to have been produced at their new permanent, purpose-built Collingwood home of which they are suitably proud. If photographs in the program are any indication, the space is beautiful, light-filled, and modern. Everything this production is not.

Taking on “infobesity” as a theme, the idea that we are so inundated with data, marketing, sales, spin and brainless television that… what? The show offers no analysis nor solutions to the topics they try to explore. Instead the conceits are a thin thread to link together disjointed acts, too many of which were not only detached completely from the theme, but not even terribly entertaining.

Barcode clowns scatter through the show disrupting acts, and causing mayhem: their demands for acts to be presented in the form of a game show were irritating and lent nothing but to highlight how underdeveloped some of these filler-acts were.

There were some stunning performances from the ensemble – a ballet performed on unicycle by Kyle Raftery and April Dawson, a poignant juggling act by Olivia Porter – yet these were sadly too few. The show as a whole lacked the highs and lows you expect from a circus, whether side-splitting hilarity or breath-holding tension.

These highly skilled performers were hobbled by an underdeveloped story and I only hope they bring more of the beauty and light from Collingwood into their next production.
Venue: Under the Heated Big Top, Birrarung Marr, Melbourne

Dates: 18th June – 13th July. Check circusoz.com for full list of times.

Tickets: $24 (Child) – $95 (Ringside)

Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au, 136 100

Circus, Comedy, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Spiegelworld Presents EMPIRE

Beautiful, bawdy – and breath-taking

By Kim Edwards

Empire has returned to Melbourne after its sell-out season last year, and it is a sumptuous spectacle to behold. In the ever-delightful space of the Spiegeltent now perched atop Crown Casino, vaudeville has run away to the circus as contortionists, acrobats, balancing acts, strip-tease artists, musicians and comedians converge for our entertainment.

I loved the casual, classy chaos as the performers mingled merrily with the audience before the show, willingly stepping in as ushers, posing for photos, striking up conversations, or attempting silly or sexy pseudo-seductions. The effort to establish memorable and iconic characters meant our favourites were greeted like old friends when reappearing on stage for their respective acts, and made the reveal of their actual talents all the more jaw-dropping.

EMPIRE Miss A in a Bubble _PhotoCredit Karon Photography_

The show plays out on a tiny stage in the round, and there is a real sense of risk in this immediacy and intimacy when dangerous routines are being performed just inches away from or above the audience. Crowd-charmer Yasu Yoshikawa countered his cute antics and pigtails with terrifying spinning and springing in and over giant hoops, while Vlad Ivashkin and Aiusha Khadzh Khamed performed an acrobatic balancing act of impressive strength and skill.

The opening act with contortionist and aeralist Lucia Carbines suspended in a perspex bubble was utterly beautiful, and Denis Petaov and Mariia Beseimbetova actually made me forget to breathe with their ferociously fast spinning routine. I was not the only one to gasp aloud in horror at the lifts and speeds they achieved, but I also delighted in the beautiful choreography that held the piece together and the couple’s intense self-involvement: there was something wonderfully private and poignant in their lack of audience acknowledgement.

The show’s finale was an obvious highlight – I am still in awe. Memet Bilgin Rigolo builds and balances an amazing impromptu skeleton of branches with slow and hypnotic grace and grandeur, and the tension mounts with each addition to his structure. But it is the final moment which reminded us so powerfully of the wildly improbable feat just performed – simply unforgettable theatre.

Victoria Matlock and John Shannon provided a rich and dramatic musical backdrop to the acts, though some sound issues unfortunately affected her diction and his solos. Jonathan Taylor and Anne Goldmann provided the comic relief as husband-and-wife-comperes, and while their hen-night style humour and audience humiliation was a bit too crass for my taste, the crowd loved them, and their quick-change talents and banana routine were genuinely clever and skillful.

There’s a joke about the show not needing a story like Cirque Du Soleil, and it’s true, but if I have a criticism, it would be the New York ‘theme’ is superficial at best and it would have been nice to have something more evocative cementing the show together. Meanwhile, my special mention must go to the slick and dextrous crew, and the happy helpful FOH stuff.

Empire is both highly memorable and wondrously diverting, and there is little surprise it is enjoying a return season now with extra shows: I was entranced.

EMPIRE by Spiegelworld
From March 11 to April 20 2014
Under the spiegeltent on the Rooftop at Crown, access via Level 3, Whiteman Street, Southbank.

Performance Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 7:30pm; Friday & Saturday 7:30pm & 9:30pm; Sunday 7:00pm

Tickets: Tue/Wed/Thu: $59.00 – $129.00, Fri/Sat/Sun: $69.00 – $149.00

Bookings: http://www.ticketek.com.au

Circus, Dance, Events, Performances, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Kage’s FORKLIFT

Femmes ex machina

By Tania Herbert

What to do on a summer’s night when Melbourne is covered in a haze of bushfire smoke? Clearly some rather disquieting contemporary performance art outside at the base of the Arts Centre.

Forklift

The audience is ushered into a construction site set with a back drop of the Arts Centre spire, and tech crew are cleverly perched around the set in their construction worker fluros. A long lead-in of banter and set-exploration with some very light humour by the protagonist female forklift driver (Nicci Wilks) left a full house quizzically wondering what exactly they were in for.

When the forklift arrives complete with a pair of mannequin-esque women (Henna Kaikula and Amy Macpherson) sprawled across it, the show quickly shifts into gear. The obscure storyline appeared to be based around elements of the forklift driver’s simple worklife merging into a dream-like world the suggests a contemporary Alice-down-the-rabbit hole.

An intensely physical performance, the contortions, dance moves, circus stunts and incredible balancing were interwoven with the movements of the forklift in a mesmerising and terrifyingly dangerous spectacle of movement. The sound track, composed by Melbourne local Jethro Woodward, punctuated the ever-shifting world and gives an eerie, almost steam-punk feel.

As the performance continues, and people wandered past the outdoor stage, a ‘fishbowl’ effect added to the disquiet, with theatre-goers on their way home finding a perch on any place where they could catch glimpses of the performance.

The piece is all that is feminism, with strong, powerful, changeable women completely in control of their art. And yet, it is all that is not, as our rather stereotypically ‘butch’ female lead is gradually converted into a sexualized, scantily -lad lipstick-wearing version of her former self.

Unique, bizarre, and utterly enthralling, Forklift defies definition. It’s kind of circus, kind of contemporary theatre, kind of dance… and yet none of these things. Forklift is oh so very Melbourne, and for a very different kind of “pop up” art, KAGE is certainly a group to keep an eye on.

Forklift is playing at Arts Centre Melbourne at the Theatres Forecourt

Wed 12 – Sun 16 February – 6.30 and 9pm nightly

Bookings: www.kage.com.au/book-tickets

Circus, Events, Music, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Michael Jackson – The IMMORTAL World Tour By CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

This is it

By Tania Herbert

Four years after his death, it can be easy to forget the influence Michael Jackson had on the world– music, dance, fashion, and a strong (albeit rather odd) wish for world peace. However, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil reminds us of all we loved Michael for in the most spectacular way.

OSA Images Costumes - Zaldy Goco ©2012 Cirque-Jackson I.P LLC

Amongst the extensive list of what made Michael so adored were his phenomenal live performances, and the “rock concert extraordinaire” of song, dance, costume and special effects. Whilst there was frequently an air of circus in MJ’s life and work, I was intrigued as to how Cirque Du Solei would tackle such a challenging array of elements.

Michael Jackson, The Immortal World Tour not only captured the essence of all that was Michael, but took it to a whole new level. With much more of a rock-concert feel than a circus show, the performance was an absolute feast for the senses. Show-stopping numbers left you quite overwhelmed – when there are extraordinary dancers paying homage to Michael’s greatest moves, flipping acrobats, aerial stunts, tap dancers, a one-legged break dancer, and giant-clockwork projected parts all rocking out in perfectly choreographed chaos, the biggest challenge is to choose where to look.

It would be easy to become lost in the spectacular, but the show beautifully holds the audience through the journey with a central character, mime Mansour Abdessadok, who takes us into Neverland, Michael Jackson’s bizarre Peter-Pan playground. From blow-me-away huge numbers, the show slides seamlessly into beautiful circus performances based on some of MJ’s most iconic music videos, with Anna Melnikova’s “Dangerous” pole dance standing out as a particular crowd-favourite.

Contemporary is mixed with classic throughout. Street art is referenced often with beat box and graf, and the special effects and projection work is just huge. A good eye will pick out special Michael homages, including a re-enactment of the “They Don’t Care About Us” number designed for the never-performed concert “This is It”, and band members with special connections to Michael such as Jonathan “Sugarfoot” Moffett who drummed for him for 30 years.

This show really does have everything, yet somehow manages to do it all with great taste and in genuine honour of a musical genius. Projected footage of Michael’s performances as a child reminds us of where the man began, and of the child in all of us. Immortal really does capture the essence of Michael in a… well, in a huge arena spectacular. Michael would have loved it.

Last night was a sell-out show, so get in quick to book to book. Performances are at Rob Laver Arena from October 9 to 13. The show then heads to Adelaide for the final leg of the national tour.
Tickets at www.ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849. Tickets range from $89 to $189 each.

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: …we should quit for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Office slog needs a lift

By Myron My

In …we should quit two workers stuck in their monotonous daily grind find their routine broken and suddenly find themselves in a sea of chaos.

We Should Quit

The opening moments are promising with the environment being well set up and clearly placing Thomas McDonald as the straight man to Morgan Wilson’s wackiness but I feel like this show never took off.

Describing itself as physical comedy, it was disappointing to find the show lacking in both. It took close to twenty minutes for the first circus trick to happen and this was followed by long gaps between. There are moments when the comedy and clowning works really well, such as the yawning competition but most of it unfortunately misses the mark.

A circus show doesn’t require a strong focus on story but …we should quit really needs to find some sort of structure or end-point as I ended up feeling like I was watching a sketch comedy show on loop. I understand they are showing the repetition that these workers endure but seeing the same act three times, like the button-pushing, can be trying on the audience.

Having seen these artists perform with aplomb earlier this year in NICA’s circus showcase, I was expecting more with this show. McDonald and Wilson are both skillful circus performers yet I don’t feel that they allowed their strengths to shine through. There didn’t seem to be any build-up to any of the acts and the times when things looked promising but ultimately fizzled or didn’t lead anywhere, such as the blackboard scene.

Morgan and Tom have the potential for good comic timing and they play extremely well off each other. They are endearing to the audience and have strong charm and charisma but a one-hour show not much seems to happen apart from seeing two mates goofing about and is a bit much to sit through.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 9:15pm and Saturday 3:30pm

Tickets: $20 /$16 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Circus, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Asore for MELBOURNE FRINGE

Balanced and poised

By Myron My

With twenty-five years combined experience between them, Kali Retallack and Zoe Robbins are the two performers of Asoré: A Series of Rare Events. They have put together a circus show that is quite unlike any regular circus event. Set in the 1920s, we experience a quirky performance that is quite simple in delivery and yet one that requires great skill, timing and strength. The show predominantly consists of two techniques, hoola-hooping and foot-juggling, with some variations thrown in throughout.

I’ve seen quite a few circus shows, but Robbins’ foot-juggling is performed with precision timing and includes tricks that I have never seen before. My anxiety levels were on high alert when she began juggling various items with her feet, including two umbrellas.

Asore

Meanwhile, the juggling of fellow performer Retallack is possibly the most impressive act of the performance.

Whilst Retallack is also hypnotising when doing her aerial work on a hanging hoop, there were a few mishaps with wayward hoops during her standing routines. However, as with any circus show, mistakes and accidents happen and the attention is then on how the performers deal with it. Retallack remained composed at all times with a smile on her face and her confidence remained high.

The girls work the audience well with their interludes allowing the audience a breather from the intensity of what we are seeing. I particularly enjoyed the archival footage of various big-top circus acts, such as the woman who is balancing a chair in her mouth whilst she dances. Although a little too long, it works well with the theme of their 1920s travelling circus. The music used throughout is also a great contributor to supporting this appealing historical theme and environment. However, there are times when the artists attempt to talk over the music and become incredibly hard to hear. They either need to have microphones on or the music needs to be at a lower volume.

Asoré is an enjoyable 50 minutes of circus acts set to a different backdrop to that which we normally see. Its polished simplicity is  what makes it stand out above the rest.

Venue: Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St, Albert Park

Season: Until 05 October | 8:00pm and Saturday 2:30pm

Tickets: $25 /$20 Conc

Bookings: www.gasworks.org.au, 9699 3253 or http://www.melbournefringe.com.au, 9660 9666

Circus, Comedy, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: Cranked Up at CIRCUS OZ

Everything it’s cranked up to be

By Jessica Cornish

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday Circus Oz,
Happy 35th birthday to you!

35 years on and Circus Oz is still in full swing, and just launched their 2013 reconstructed season of Cranked Up. The quirky production (founded on their previous show From the Ground Up) is loosely focused on the idea of the ‘construction, building and fabrication’ of Australia, and entertained its audience with its wild and witty antics in pantomime style.

Cranked Up

The multi-talented cast were very versatile, and personal highlights included drummer Bec Mathews in her pendulum-like structure flying across the space as acrobats weaved in and around the swinging object, the table skilfully juggled on the soles of Hazel Bock’s feet, and commentary by Indigenous clown/actor Mark Sheppard. The finale of act 1 was also mesmerising, with a trampoline scaff (scaffolding) tower acting as the centre piece for manic acrobats flinging themselves off this structure in a visual frenzy of back flips, jumps and dives.

The show was highly enjoyable and lots of fun. However, opening night jitters got the better of some performers with a few dropped balls, missed flips and slightly less-than-flawless scene changes. Likewise some of the banter from the MCs was slightly hard to follow at times, and I got a little lost in the dialogue. However, I am certain given a week these issues will iron themselves out, and the show will just keep evolving and getting better and better!

Circus Oz is an amazing company that consistently promotes social inclusion and equity for all Australians, and newly-arrived members of our community. Facilitating numerous workshops and performances in some of our most remote Indigenous communities and detention centres, and donating thousands of tickets to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre on a regular basis, they are a company that values both human diversity and ‘ having a good time’. And Cranked Up is a great show that allows all people to come together and enjoy themselves in the crazy and incredible antics that are Circus Oz. What are you waiting for?!

Where: Under the (HEATED) big top at Birrarung Marr

When: 19 June- 14 July

Cost: From $24

Bookings: Phone 136 100, or at Ticketmaster Outlets or via www.ticketmaster.com.au

Circus, Events, Performances, Review, Whats On

REVIEW: NICA’s ONE FALSE MOVE

A glimpse of the dazzling future of Australian circus

By Myron My

One False Move is a showcase circus performance featuring NICA’s second-year artists in some impressive and intense acts. The show is inspired by film noir and there are a lot of shady characters, deadly women and clever use of various iconic props that help support this genre.

One False Move

The lighting design by Eduard Ingles, the costumes by Emily Barrie and the live music throughout the show (by the performers themselves) all add to that film-noir feel: edgy, dangerous and exciting. What One False Move then does very well is infuse touches of comedy throughout. A perfect example is the use of black screens sliding across the stage, dropping off and picking up performers in their travels where we witness murders and sexual escapades aplenty but with the comic timing adding a strong dose of humour.

As with any circus show there is a risk of failure: an off-the-mark landing, a prop getting a mind of its own or a loss balance. Part of the skill of being a good performer is how you recover from this, and with occasional hiccups occurring all the students remained highly professional and ensured the show kept on going. This embracing of and then triumphing over problems ultimately gets the audience on side, and made the consequent accomplishments even more worthy of cheers.

Another important focus required for circus shows is to retain engagement with the audience. What these guys are doing is not easy but they need to be able to make it look easy and be relaxed with their audience. Chelsea Angell and Ashleigh Tomasini‘s cheeky and flirtatious audience interaction whilst doing their Russian wheel routine was a wonderful example.

I was also very impressed with the pole act by Isabel Rose and Patrick Denison – despite the physical demands of such an performance, they both remained beautifully in the realm of film noir and worked together to create an act that had great sexual tension between the femme fatale and the brooding man. Other notable performers included Morgan Wilson, Angelique Ross, Dylan Rodriguez and Jon Bonaventura who all provided some highly entertaining moments.

NICA’s One False Move has some tremendously talented performers in it and I feel confident the future of the circus industry is more than safe in the powerful hands of these charismatic young people.

Venue: NICA National Circus Centre, 39-59 Green Street, Prahran.

Season: Until 29 June | Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Sat 1:30pm, Thurs 1:00pm

Tickets: $27 Full | $22 Conc

Bookings: http://www.nica.com.au

Circus, Events, Review, Theatre, Whats On

REVIEW: Fear & Love & Clowns at THE MALTHOUSE

You think you know clowning…?

By Myron My

Fear & Love & Clowns is the first production from Fear & Love, a group of five soon-to-be graduate actors from the Victorian College of the Arts. Using clowning at its most fundamental level, we follow the story of four clowns who find themselves embroiled in a villainous plot.

There is a nice blend of slapstick and pantomine in this show: the characters bumble and stumble and fall, and sometimes the humour does get a little crass. However, there is great heart to the story which is told mainly through mime. The five actors – Alistair Frearson, Chelsea Zeller, Emil Freund, Tristsan Barr and Michael Gosden – successfully develop the narrative through animated and dynamic movement, gestures and facial expressions.

fear-love-clowns

Furthermore, the performers display a high level of character physicality and give great individuality to their roles. Personally, I found Frearson to be quite exceptional in his clowning persona, as was Freund as the ‘straight’ clown. Frearson was also particularly strong as the villain of the piece, and really did create some genuinely tense moments with his evil doings.

Fear&Love&Clowns has solid direction, and a great production team behind it with Jackson Trickett on lighting and Bart Welch on sound with the latter’s vocal effects adding much to the show. On a performance level, whilst the energy generally remained high,  it did waver occasionally with a few flat moments here and there. The cast and crew have done their best to keep the action short and pumping, but perhaps these moments still need addressing.

Fear & Love have attempted to engage their audience not only as observers but as participants in openly reacting to what we seeing – which is not hard when we’re offered themes such as sex, revenge and murder. Yes, this is still just clowning at heart, but it is a very different type of clown show – especially with an ending that would make Stephen King’s IT proud…

Venue: Tower Theatre, The Malthouse, 113 Sturt St, Southbank.

Season: Until 18 May | 7:00pm

Tickets: $28

Bookings: http://www.malthousetheatre.com.au or 9685 5111

Circus, Dance, Events, Festivals, Review, Whats On

Review: THREE HIGH ACROBATICS’ Knock Off

When renovation becomes a real balancing act

By Myron My

Making their Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut, Three High Acrobatics’ Knock Off revolves around three men who walk onto a building site and attempt to construct a contemporary circus show in eleven easy steps, including ensuring there is a love story present and having dramatic pauses throughout the story.

Three High Acrobatics

When it came to the acrobatics, the guys (Sam Aldham, Taka Seki and Christ Carlos) were strong as both charismatic performers and impressive athletes. The broom-balancing segment was beautifully performed and the aerial work had the audience mesmerised. There were a few mishaps here and there, but any show that involves such high physical demand from its performers is occasionally going to falter and, if anything, amplifies the mood in the audience to support them and see them succeed on the next attempt. The strength and the skill these three possess is not to be undermined and this is particularly proven in the final few moments of the show.

There are quite a few musical numbers– with the parody version of 90s song “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks now changed to “Bloke” being one of my favourites. One of their ‘steps’ is to include a contemporary dance scene and the one they chose had me grooving in my seat as it is also the one choreographed dance sequence by a boy band I wish I could perform! The music played is used to support and alter the mood they are trying to convey during each segment: one particularly clever example of this was during the love story, which allowed the guys to ham things up when needed.

However, as a comedy show I felt the humour in Knock Off was lacking in most parts. The energy was certainly visible but the comic element was often being stretched and didn’t feel very natural. The characters were not all that endearing and I found the ‘apprentice’ to be more annoying than anything. Clearly these guys were more comfortable with the acrobatics than with the acting.

Knock Off loses a little of its charm when it comes to the comedy, but Three High Acrobatics provide an entertaining show that will engage you with their exciting circus skills.

Venue: Wonderland Spiegeltent, 120 Pear River Rd, Harbourtown Docklands

Season: Until 20 April | 7:00pm

Tickets: $20 Full | $15 Conc

Bookings:www.ticketmaster.com.au, www.wonderlandspiegeltent.com.au, 9602 1311 & at the door