Ben Hendry – Theatre Press

Fun but familiar

By Myron My

Circus Oz returns to Melbourne with But Wait…There’s More, fusing circus acts with consumerism and “infobesity”; the idea that everything is being commodified and the world is moving at faster speeds than before.

The opening act of Lilikoi Kaos and her hoops was amazing. With hoop acts becoming a dime-a-dozen in recent circus productions, Kaos brought so much energy and fun to the routine it was impossible not to get swept up by the momentum. The program definitely does not lie when it compares her as a “mixture of Jessica Rabbit, Lucille Ball and Tank Girl”. Kaos has a unique talent that is great to watch on stage.

Similarly the enchanting balletic unicycle act by Kyle Raftery and April Dawson was mesmerising and the accompanying music created an almost whimsical environment. In fact, all the music, led by Ben Hendry and Ania Reynolds, was the one consistently superb factor throughout the show. Each act’s musical soundtrack was perfectly suited to build the mood and the suspense, and change the tone as needed.

Towards the end of last year, I saw Circus Oz’s Close to the Bone. Perhaps it was the more intimate and intense setting of the Melba Spiegeltent that allowed the acts to draw you in, but under the Big Top tent, many of the acts felt lacklustre and uninspiring. There were minimal wow moments and even though circus can be more than just “wow”, when you’re performing in this type of environment, on this type of stage, there needs to be plenty of dramatic climax and intensity.

This was more noticed in the second half of the shown which lacked the variety and the suspense needed to maintain my interest. The performers, such as the consistently amazing Sharon Gruenert, are clearly talented and accomplished in their fields, but as an audience member, there are only so many familiar flips and jumps that a show can have before it stops being interesting.

As a theme, the exploration of consumerism and information-overloading didn’t seem to work within the confines of circus, and despite Candy Bower‘s great voice, the singing numbers were out of place and broke the momentum of the acts. However, the set-ups for the bigger acts were great to watch as the whole ensemble playfully worked together to prepare the stage.

There is no denying that there are a number of highly skilled performers within the company and Circus Oz knows how to put on a good show: I’ve seen them do it before, numerous times. Unfortunately, But Wait…There’s More is not one of their better showings. For all the glitz and sparkle, I didn’t find much substance within the acts – which I guess is where you could argue society is trending with our obsessions on “infobeity” and consumerism.

Venue: Circus Oz Big Top, Birrarung Marr, Melbourne (between Federation Square and Batman Avenue).
Season: Until 12 July | Wed- Sat 7:30pm, Sat 1.30pm, Sun 3pm
Tickets: $22 – $95 (plus booking fees)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

Image by Rob Blackburn

Wit, whimsy and wonder

By Myron My

When I go to the circus I often can’t help feeling like a child again as I watch in awe, wonderment and envy at the acts on display. Fortunately for me, these feelings continue to be felt at the Melba Spiegeltent with the current show from Circus Oz, Close To The Bone.

The first thing you notice upon entering is the surprising size of the Spiegeltent. It’s a small and intimate space, which works well from an audience member perspective because no matter where you sit, you can more or less hear the heavy breathing of the performers, see the sweat dripping down their faces, and really see the strength and flexibility on display. These are highly talented professionals who are pushing themselves to their limits, and possibly even further.

I particularly enjoyed Lilikoi Kaos and Dale Woodbrige-Brown’s mischievous interactions during the hoop act, and Olivia Porter’s hacky-sack segment had everyone’s eyes glued on her from beginning to end.

The highlight of the night however belongs to Matt Wilson and his extremely high risk-balancing act, about which the less said is better so as to not ruin the surprise. What I will say though, is the tent was filled with tense excitement as Wilson went about performing this and the collective sigh of relief and cheers from the crowd upon completion was resounding.

There is a strong emphasis on music throughout Close To The Bone, which is led by the skillful Ania Reynolds and Ben Hendry. However, the cast also joins in throughout the night on a variety of instruments including guitars, piano and trumpets and even squeeze toys. The impressive “unconventional” drumming performance by Hendry further enhances the relationship between the two art forms.

Circus Oz’s Close To The Bone is an evening of good old-fashioned acts with just a touch of edginess and cheek that will most certainly entertain even the harshest circus show critics.

Venue: The Melba Spiegeltent, 35 Johnston St, Collingwood

Season: Until 21 December| Thurs-Fri 8pm, Sat 5:30 and 9:30pm, Sun 5.30pm

Tickets: $45 Full | $40 Conc

Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100