Proteus review | National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA)

The circus show Proteus follows a diverse group of characters living together in a strange city, capturing the blend of public spaces and private moments. Co-directed by Sage Bachtler Cushman and Hugo Oliveira, this production offers a thoughtful exploration of human connection through acrobatics, aerials, movement, and physical storytelling performed by NICA's third-year students.

The ensemble is impressive, with each performer given room to shine. Sammy George's contribution stands out as especially hypnotic. His flips and landings are executed with such silent precision that it looks like he's landing on a cloud. He moves with composed grace and calm, maintaining a mesmerising presence throughout the show. Similarly, Immy Turecek's acrobatics and lyra act commands our attention with her skills and charisma. Even during transitions, when she's momentarily isolated among Barrie Michael Baxter's imposing set pieces, her fluidity holds our gaze.

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.

ON/OFF review

We all have different parts of ourselves that emerge depending on our environment. This could be at work, home, social and anything in between. In ON/OFF, NICA’s third year Bachelor of Circus Arts students bring their on stage and off stage personas together in a distinctive production that allows them to present their skills and share their thoughts on what drew them to circus.

From the instant you enter the space, you can see this won’t be a traditional circus performance. Backstage has been transported into the theatre and you literally need to walk through it to reach your seat, getting up close and personal with the ensemble as they warm up, put final touches to their hair and make-up, and make any costume adjustments.

Circonoclasm review

Devised by its second year students, NICA’s Circonoclasm is an exploration of the theft and destruction of the arts through circus. A new artwork is about to be unveiled at the National Gallery of Melbourne. But when it is stolen, everyone become a suspect as the investigators take unconventional, or in some cases too conventional, methods to solve the crime.

Director David Woods has a large cast of performers to play with and that he does, but unfortunately much of Circonoclasm is grounded in acting, sketch and slapstick with not enough satisfying circus. The opening in particular is drawn out far too long as we watch robbers and guards running on and off stage in varying comedic fashion like a montage of Scooby Doo gang as they are chased by (or chasing) the monster.

Eclipse review

After roughly three years since their last live performance, the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) has brought together 12 of its students for its new show, Eclipse. Conceived by Sally Richardson, it is an exploration on how the pandemic has changed the world and how the world will continue to change because of it.

Richardson was inspired by Indian author Arundhati Roy's piece The Pandemic is a Portal, where she discusses the various ways COVID-19 has impacted India and what we need to remember and learn from as we attempt to move forward. It's quite fitting then, that the opening moments have hints of a Mad Max-esque dystopian future with a bedraggled tent cover and people living in imagined squalor milling around and endlessly passing time.
It is always exciting to see up-and-coming circus artists on stage and witnessing the beginnings of their careers.

Sick review

Mention the word hospital or being sick and the memories that most people will have will be negative. But NICA's third year students from the Bachelor of Circus Arts are here to change that with their final showcase performance, SICK. Directed by Gavin Marshall, the show is inspired by Marshall's two month hospital stay where doctors tried to determine why his body was falling apart on him.

With this personal experience, Marshall captures the mundaneness, the ridiculousness and the gravity of hospital life. Taking place over 24 hours at St. Nowhere Hospital, the show opens with a number of patients passing time in the waiting room as they keep themselves occupied. On the other side of this wall we observe doctors and nurses in the staff room, tired, overworked and hurriedly getting themselves prepared for the onslaught of what is behind those doors.

Dispersion review

You don't have to look too hard to notice that Melbourne has people from diverse cultures and communities living in it. We each have a story to tell and when you think about it, those stories are not that different from one another. Dispersion is a new circus show presented by the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) that gives an opportunity to its second year cohort to showcase their skills while exploring the idea of belonging and togetherness through some highly entertaining acts.

There is an intelligent and reflective narrative in Dispersion that emphasises identity and acceptance. Directed by Zebastian Hunter and Meredith Kitchem, all the acts are seamlessly integrated into the story resulting in a gripping emotional response from the audience. One of the highlights of this is how the opening and closing acts complement and contrast with each other and provide a satisfying and earned conclusion.

Please Hold review | NICA

NICA has been a breeding ground for world-class circus performers for almost twenty years. In its latest show, Please Hold, the training institute puts the skills and talents of its third year students to the test.

The 21 performers' strength and agility throughout the show never ceases to amaze. The determination they have to be able to maintain a handstand for a substantial amount of time or the ease at which two people can stand on someone's shoulders or the heights at which others are thrown and then caught are a sign of the careers that await them. A few mishaps here and there but that's the risk of circus and these incidents are what make the standout moments even more memorable.