Where do men go to become better men? Camping of course. In circus show A Scary Thing Happened By The CAMPFIRE, two mates go bush not knowing they are being stalked by a forest dwelling creature. Escaping the beast proves more difficult than it sounds, as it may involve them talking to each other about ... their feelings.
The show is co-created by Alonso Pineda, Samuel Boyd, Louis Green and Griffin Hooper, with Pineda and Boyd serving as directors and Green and Hooper as performers. As circus, it is very entertaining and recent NICA graduates Green and Hooper display great skill in their paired acrobatics as well as their solo routines. There are a few wobbles here and there, but seeing them work through them and eventually execute them is where the excitement of circus comes from.
The idea of two men going
camping and having to deal with their emotions and talk to each other
through horror circus is an extremely interesting one but unfortunately
this is where the show misses the mark. A stronger narrative is needed
to bring this together as it is too abstract and vague in its current
form, especially the conclusion which is quite muddled and confusing as
to how we've reached this ending.
The design elements excel in every area particularly with Spencer Herd's lighting, which heighten the horror of the circumstances the men find themselves in. Savanna Wegman's set depicts a creepy forest with dark corners where anything can jump out from. A smoke machine creates a swirling mist with tree branches eerily hanging along the sides of the stage. The sound and score are well considered with brilliant use of electro music to support the horror and comedy genres.
There is plenty to like in A Scary Thing Happened By The CAMPFIRE but without a fleshed out story to ground the work, it is unable to breathe and succeed in its exploration of masculinity and male relationships.
SHOW DETAILS
Season: until 13 October | 7pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $38 Full | $25 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Image Credit: Anais Stewart
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