Piper's Playhouse review | Crown Melbourne

Going up the escalators to the entrance of Piper’s Playhouse is the beginning of an exhilarating and entertaining night in a Parisian cabaret club. It feels like stepping into a velvet-lined time capsule where glamour, mischief, and a hint of rebellion swirl together in the dim light, kicking-off with small morsels to awaken the senses and stir anticipation ahead of the evening’s grand reveal.

Revellers roam the makeshift halls, pausing for fleeting peep shows in hidden booths, whimsical bubble acts, and the promise of momentary absolution through confession. Champagne is already flowing via surprising means and a roving magician enchants with feats of close-up illusion.

Duck Pond review | Princess Theatre

Circa return to Melbourne with Duck Pond, a reimagining that fuses two timeless tales, Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling. In the former, a cursed princess trapped in a swan’s body finds love with a prince, only for deception and obsession to lead to tragedy. In the latter, an outcast mocked for his difference endures cruelty and loneliness before discovering he was a swan all along. These parallel narratives form the backbone of Duck Pond, a production that uses circus as both spectacle and storytelling.

Acrobatics are seamlessly integrated into the plot, with silk routines, lifts, throws, and balances doing as much narrative work as the text itself. Through its movement, the show connects Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling around ideas of flight, vulnerability, and transformation. The tossing, jumping, carrying, and leaping are shaped by the journeys of the Black Swan and the Duckling rather than circus grandness for its own sake.

Humans 2.0 review | Arts Centre Melbourne

If 2017's Humans explored the concept of what it means to be human, then Humans 2.0 smashes straight through it. This new show from Circa is a moving study of connection through circus.  Directed by Yaron Lifschitz, it's an unforgettable evening of skill, sweat, and spirit as we delve into the challenges of being human.

From the very beginning, the cast of eleven command total control of the space - and us. Every second feels earned, as they throw themselves into the air and work in perfect sync to execute acrobatic feats that demand absolute commitment to one another. You see the sweat dripping off their bodies, watch their chests rise and fall with heavy breathing, and marvel at the muscular, sinewy frames that are in constant motion.

Tender review | Gasworks Arts Park

Presented by an all-queer cast, Cirque X's Tender looks at what it means to be tender through circus, acrobatics, and musical and dance numbers. The word itself conjures up different definitions and ideas, and in this production, the acts offer unique perspectives and explorations of what tender can be via various lenses such as relationships, sex, sexuality and desire.

The opening teaser by J Twist and Chris Barnett is hands down one of the most seductive and tantalising experiences I've ever had in the performing arts. The pair appear either side of a cube structure and stare defiantly out to the audience. They are "outside the box" and challenging us to join them on this adventure of discovery. They exude sexuality and sensuality as they gradually begin to remove their clothes which climaxes with a surprising reveal that sets the tone for the rest of the evening.

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.

A Scary Thing Happened By The CAMPFIRE review (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

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.

360 ALLSTARS review | Arts Centre Melbourne

360 ALLSTARS is a circus show that brings the urban streets into the theatre. With acclaimed international performers, a thumping live soundtrack, and animated projections and lighting, it promises to be a phenomenal evening of groundbreaking circus. Sadly, this show may have to rethink its title as while the artists are talented, this spectacle offers nothing exciting or unique to make it stand out among the rest.



There is a lot of filler in this production with individuals introduced and re-introduced a number of times and having the audience cheer - or scream - them on. The acrobatics are impressive and clearly require a high level of skill and strength, but they are tediously one-note where it seems like they have just one trick up their sleeve that is repeated. Yes, this might be aimed at children and families, but it doesn't mean that the same level of craft in adult circus should not be applied here, particularly as there are many Australian independent circus troupes doing this incredibly well.

Smash It! review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

Smash It! is the newest show by Circus Oz, a company that has been running since 1978 and considered a leader in the circus arts in Australia. In Smash It!, seven multi-generational performers undertake flips, jumps and tumbles to a live band in a stripped-back production with nowhere to hide.

Ranging in age from early twenties to mid-sixties, each performer (Angelique Ross, Celso March, Debra Batton, Leo Pentland, Mozes Heawood, Sharon Gruenert and Spenser Inwood) is given plenty of opportunities to be the star and to fall into the background and support their fellow artist. The highlight is a rope act that sees Heawood spun around at incredible speeds with a captivating lighting design by Gina Gascoigne.

Future Proof review

Every day we are reminded that the world is in a critical state of affairs. It can be immensely disheartening to say the least. However, with Future Proof, Gravity Dolls have found the beauty within the despair in a captivating physical theatre / acrobatics piece that explores what keeps us going, what got us here and what we need to do to ensure that we can remain.



The show opens with the performers - Harlow Casey, Tim Rutty, Karina Schiller, Nina Robertson, Cassia Jamieson and Easa Min-Swe - moving on a revolving circular platform as they each express various "what if" questions around life, death and the world. It's a great introduction to Future Proof, with their brightly coloured outfits by Rutty and Harlow's direction, where we see the gripping chaos of a world colliding with ideas and ideals. This is perfectly executed with the following act that presents as a sales pitch for more plastic in the world with breathtaking design and adept direction as Rutty walks and sits on clouds of plastic bags that envelop the remaining performers.

Circus 1903 review

As you take your seat and look at the stage of Circus 1903, it really feels like you have been transported back 120 years ago to a big top circus. World-class talent undertake breathtaking acrobatics and routines that show what can be achieved if you put your mind to it. An appearance by an African elephant and her baby calf further heightens the excitement felt over a century ago when circuses would travel into small towns offering locals opportunities to witness extraordinary artists and exotic animals, and for a limited season, it is Melbourne's turn to experience this.

Every act is a highlight and while favourites among the audience varies, there's no denying the absolute skill possessed by the Icarian Games performers Mohammed Ibrahim and Hamza Seid, in a stunning routine of foot juggling a human body. At one point, 23 consecutive rotations are completed one after the other and watching the strength and flexibility in both these performers is simply jaw dropping. Mekdes Kebede's contortionist act is utterly engrossing as she manipulates her body into positions that should not be feasible, and receives plenty of gasps from the crowd.

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.

Apricity review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | National Institute of Circus Arts

What I love the most about circus is the surprising ways that it can make you feel. While the logic defying tricks and acrobatics are always the drawcard, I am fascinated to see how the artists go deeper with this and attempt to bring its audience into the show. Circus company Casus manage to do this and so much more with their mesmerising and breathtaking new work Apricity.

The ensemble (Jesse Scott, Lachlan McAulay, Mayu Muto, Amy Stuart, and Harlow Carey) work flawlessly as one with the precise choreography having them coming in and out of the space, directly and indirectly engaging with and assisting one another. Their bodies entwined, they rely on the group to be held up, carried and supported, in both the literal sense and the spiritual.

Creme de la Creme review (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

The talent behind Head First Acrobats are back at the Melbourne Fringe Festival with their amazing show GODZ, but this year, they are the gift that keeps on giving as they present Creme de la Creme, a variety night of circus, comedy and acrobatics.

Each of the four Head First Acrobats - Cal Harris, Liam Dummer, Thomas Gorham and Jordan Wartz - have their individual moments in the spotlight, and while Wartz and Dummer impress with their respective solos, Gorham's "Finale Man" doesn't land as well as it should.

For a show that is only 60 minutes long, an intermission feels unnecessary. However, even though we are all encouraged to head to the bar and get more drinks, we do get to see Harris do some side tricks on a ladder and a unique RAT test. As entertaining as these are, it would be great if there were less fillers and more appreciable acts on display. Similarly, for those who have seen GODZ before, there are a few familiar routines, and while creating new acts is not easy, having basically the same acts in two different shows is a bit disappointing.

Alienation review (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

Expectations are high as I walk into the NICA performing space, and see Jake Silvestro and Romain Hassanin sitting in a boat suspended in the air. Created by the two circus artists, Alienation is a physical theatre show that examines what happens when your survival depends on those around you and understanding your environment.

While there's no denying the skill and strength that Silvestro and Hassanin possess, the show left me unexcited and unfeeling. The tricks and acrobatics become repetitive and resemble warm-up activities, things that get the audience anticipating the big stuff. Rollerblades, a hula-hoop and a cyr wheel all make an appearance but they don't eventuate into anything. They disappear as quietly as they appear.

Jake Silvestro on bringing together circus, nature and rollerskates (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

Put a group of people together in any situation and there are bound to be disagreements and arguments. Put a group of people together in an unfamiliar environment and things will intensify even further. Created and performed by circus artists Jake Silvestro and Romain Hassanin, Alienation is a physical theatre show at Melbourne Fringe Festival that explores our relationships and interactions with each other and nature.

Silvestro and Hassanin have been collaborating on Alienation since 2020 but it wasn't until Silvestro happened to come across a quote by art critic Martin Gayford that he realised what it was they wanted to say. "Romain and I had some ideas about what we wanted to do, but couldn't firmly say how they were connected or socially relevant. I find with projects that build over long time periods, the downtime between rehearsals is an opportunity to keep your eyes open and see what is out in the world that corroborates your practice, and that was definitely the case with "A History of Pictures" by David Hockney and Martin Gayford," Silvestro tells me. "I was reading that book and came across the quote “... alienation, the way in which, especially in Western Culture, people are separated psychologically and economically both from each other and from the natural world”, and it tied together a bunch of elements from this new work in a more succinct way than I could have come up with."

Arterial review

Good circus will always find ways to entertain its audience through the impressive abilities of its performers as they display their strength, flexibility and agility. Amazing circus will have this, but will also be able to make you feel something deeper through its storytelling and performances, and Arterial is one of the best examples of this in a very long time. Presented by Na Djinang Circus, the production explores the notion of what community is and the importance in keeping community alive.

Harley Mann - founder of Na Djinang and director of Arterial - is extremely specific and clear in creating his vision and showing this connection to story, to people and to country. While there is a lot to of ground to cover, everything that we see and hear - and even feel - in Arterial has purpose. The scattered eucalyptus leaves and branches around the stage and the way the lighting design by Gina Gascoigne includes red light illuminating the space are subtle yet constant reminders of the relationship to land being depicted and by extension our relationship with the land we live on.

GODZ review (Melbourne Fringe)

Who knew the ancient Gods of Olympus excelled in acrobatics and circus performance? But the brains and bodies from Head First Acrobats have done their research and with their Melbourne Fringe Festival show GODZ, they present, with one hundred per cent certainty, what actually went down during their reign.

The loose narrative follows the four misbehaving Gods - Cupid, Dionysus, Hercules and Apollo  (Liam Dummer, Jordan Twartz, Callan Harris and Thomas Gorham) - who are getting a bit too rowdy for Zeus' liking, particularly demigod Hercules. While this might not be what the Gods were expecting, for the audience it turns into an evening of untamed and shameful pleasure that even Dionysus would’ve been proud of, especially when a pair of saintly sisters come to visit.

Escalate review (Melb Fringe)

When most people think of juggling, they think of a person throwing balls in the air for as long as they can. But after seeing Throw Catch Collective's Escalate, you not walk away from a great night out, but with an appreciation and understanding of just how exhilarating juggling can be.

Presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, jugglers Byron Hutton, Richard Sullivan and Samuel Kreusler take their balls, clubs and rings, and combine them with music, sound, lighting and choreography to deliver a truly unique circus experience. Instead of throwing items in the air, the trio throw them at each other, around each other and even through each other. The hand and body movements often resemble something you would see in contemporary dance with smatterings of ballet-esque motions. The intricate routines they perform require precision timing from everyone as arms interlock in rapid actions.

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.