Aurora review

Circus Oz returns with a new show of "impossibly intricate foot-juggling to hair-raising balances, breathtaking hula hooping to physical comedy that will leave you speechless". Unfortunately while there are elements in Aurora that are well conceived, their exploration of the ice lands of our world and the ensuing acts don't live up to these grand statements resulting in a very average experience.

The set design is quite impressive with its representation of this frozen land and the lighting design by Jennifer Hector superbly captures the atmosphere of this vast body of ice throughout the show, best shown in Shani Stephen's hand balancing act, where along with a smoke machine, creates some stunning moments. Rhian Hinkley's visual projections on the floor of the stage are fun and imaginative and they are incorporated into the routines without ever feeling like it's a gimmick.

You cannot dispute the ensemble's talent and the high level visual and aural aspects of the show, with music performed by the brilliant Jeremy Hopkins and Selene Messinis, so it's disappointing that there is a lack of excitement and originality within the acts themselves. None of them seem to have a "wow" factor and it is all a little too safe for what we've come to expect from Circus Oz. The rope act by Sam Aldham is run-of-the-mill and despite being visually engaging with the costuming and lighting, Adam Malone's routine on the Washington trapeze feels astonishingly pedestrian.

Wunderage review

In a stunning collaboration between Circus Oz and Company 2, contemporary circus is seen in an exhilarating new light with their show Wunderage. With a focus on balance, this immersive show has the performances leaping off the stage and heading straight into the audience. This fresh concept of no seats and no barriers elevates Wunderage to being a truly unique experience resulting in an awe-inspiring evening.

Being able to walk around and in some cases stand directly under the performers as they balance themselves on a tightrope might be novel for audiences, but one can only imagine what this is like for the performers who are able to clearly see every movement and hear every word from the wide-eye crowd. Even in such close proximity, the ensemble - Phoebe Armstrong, Jess McCrindle, Kane Peterson, Chelsea McGuffin, Dylan Singh, Lachy Shelley, David Trappes and Skip Walker-Milne - remain extremely focused on their routines but actively engage with the audience when roaming through the space.

Circus Oz's Sidesault review

With Circus Oz's Sidesault, circus companies are provided with an opportunity to present experimental works that challenge what contemporary circus can be. Ranging in ideas and approaches, there is literally something that will appeal to all types of circus fans. In its final weekend of shows, we are presented with ground breaking juggling, a deeply personal look at love and heartache and a deep-dive into the absurd and the unusual.

First up are Byron Hutton and Richard Sullivan with Jugg Life, demonstrating that while juggling requires a lot of skill, it can be more than throwing items in the air. It's a playful, exciting and original exploration on how juggling can be adapted and what can build from that. Their Mortal Kombat street combat is a perfect example of what can happen when you change how you look at something, resulting in some pretty intense moments, and the cause of the widespread terror in the audience (and perhaps Hutton and Sullivan) when a lap top gets in the way of a juggling club.

The Carnival of Lost Souls review

There can be no greater feeling than that of loving someone and being loved back. However, sometimes that gift can also be a curse. In the The Carnival of Lost Souls, ill-fated love and the afterlife are explored through the blending of circus and musical theatre. Performed in the Melba Spiegeltent, the show tell the story of a gypsy fortune teller and a giddy clown who despite being meant to be together, are destined to be apart.

A late 1800s carnival ambience is immediately established through Jason Bovaird's effective lighting design and Clockwork Butterfly's highly detailed Victorian Gothic and Steampunk costumes. As such, the acts themselves retain a simplicity in style and are more about showcasing the skill of the performers rather than distracting you with the razzle-dazzle of a large-scale circus.

Model Citizens review

What makes us who we are? Are we all the same and if not, can we accept our differences and co-exist peacefully? In Circus Oz's new show Model Citizens these ideas are explored through a variety of tricks and acrobatics that captivates its audience from the very first second right up until when the lights go back up with an extremely polished and well-thought out production.

The opening minutes of the show in which the talents of its eleven cast are showcased, are thrilling and energetic with the momentum never slowing down throughout the two-hour spectacle. It's refreshing to witness a show where the performers' personalities come through and express genuine excitement to be on stage inside the Big Top tent.

Sideshow review

The circus has come to town, but in the case of Sideshow, this is not a family-friendly - or even a human-friendly - circus. There are powers of darkness, death, murder and spirits from the other world that are part of this troupe and in this immersive performance, it is down to the audience to stop this travelling carnival of horrors from causing doom.

Sideshow is certainly fun but there are a number of reasons it unfortunately does not work. Firstly, the experience just isn't as scary as it proclaims to be and this is bound to be a huge disappointment for its audiences. Apart from our creepy clown friend, there aren't any frights or tension, unless the constant repeat of people jumping out of the "darkness" and growling at you are where your fears stem from.

Circus Oz: But Wait...There's More review

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 superbly consistent 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.