Muse review

Merlene Hutt on the cyr wheel

When people see circus artists, they are generally left in awe by witnessing what the human body is capable of and how they are genuinely putting themselves at risk for our entertainment. But why do they do it? What drives them to want to perform in circus? The graduating class from the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) are here to tell us with their final year showcase Muse.
 
The show is devised as an exploration of where their ideas spark from. Jesse Holden officially kicks off the twelve acts with his hoop diving as he is constructing an IKEA-esque furniture. It's a strong opening with Holden executing smooth acrobatic sequences with his structure, while telling a humorous yet compelling story about finding inspiration from the unknown and going with the flow.

Gemma Jackson's hula hoops act is another captivating performance, displaying great control and movement with the hoops. She shows us the relationship she has with the hoops and what they mean to her and giving a wonderful visual representation of how her mind works via these objects.
 
The remaining incredible acts include swinging trapezes, straps, body contortionism, a Chinese pole, cyr wheel and a mesmerising diabolo routine. Each has an intimacy that invites its audience into their creative process and be inside their head for a few minutes to appreciate how circus is a part of their world. If this is what they are achieving right now, it will be incredibly exciting to see what they accomplish with even just five more years under their belts.
 
Transitions are handled brilliantly, with a hanging TV screen slowly making its way from one side of the stage to the other, while video clips play of the students sharing their thoughts on how their acts are created. What makes these moments really succeed is that when we see their respective routines, we can easily identify how this was conceived and what it is attempting to say, beyond highlighting their expertise and skill.

The lighting and sound design in Muse are also exceptional, having to bring to life 12 individual acts that are connected in theme but independent of each other. There's an excitement and anticipation in waiting for these design elements to be unveiled with every act.

As Muse comes to its conclusion the students perform a short but affecting piece together that is symbolic of the relationships and bonds they have formed over the last few years, and begin to look to the future. Having experienced what took place on stage, the future for the graduating class of 2024 is looking extremely bright.

Show Details

Venue: NICA National Circus Centre, 39-59 Green Street, Prahran.
Season: Until 7 December | 2pm and 7:30pm
Duration: 90 minutes
Tickets: $40 Full | $32 Conc
Bookings: NICA

Image credit: Cameron Grant

Image credit: Rob Blackburn