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.

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.

Werk It – Tight Fit review

The venue might be small, but the energy emanating from the stage during Werk It - Tight Fit's circus show is incredible. For many in the audience, it is their return to the performing arts, and for myself, as an avid circus attendee, there is much excitement and anticipation at seeing my first live circus in close to two years. Fortunately the five acrobats do not disappoint, with Vincent van Berkel, Lisa Lottie, Richard Sullivan, Cassia Jamieson, and Malia Walsh performing a number of acts that display their skills and entrance the room.

Lottie's hula hoops act involves numerous hoops moving at incredible speeds on various parts of her body. Her later return to the stage has her completing a hoop striptease that continues to showcases her skill while adding a layer of sexy mischief. Real life strong woman Jamieson astounds the audience with her strength, particularity during her group act with Walsh and van Berkel. The familiarity and support the performers provide to each other highlights the trust between them, which is particularly important given the extremely small stage they have to use, where one misplaced step could mean falling off the stage or head-butting the hanging lights.

PHAT CAB CLUB review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | Melba Spiegeltent

Performed in the iconic Melba Spiegeltent, PHAT CAB CLUB present a night of remarkably talented young circus artists that give more established ones a run for their money. Set to a lively hip-hop soundtrack, there are a variety of acts on display that showcase the troupe's strength, dexterity and flexibility.

A mesmerising diabolo routine by Jordan Twartz has us gasping at the speed and complexity he achieves and his return for a brief "puppet" double-up with acrobat/dancer Mark Longo is a well-conceived idea and would have loved to see similar pairings reoccur. Hula-hoops are often a staple of circus and easily lose their appeal, but Anna Fisher ensures there are surprises in her number to draw us in and have us excited about what is possible with these objects.

The rest of the ensemble - Antonia Sassine Emily Chilvers, Joe Fisher, Odette Robbins - excel in their various juggling, balancing and contortion. Rhys Davies as MC does well with the self-deprecating humour and his mini-tricks between the main entertainment. However, he does leave you wondering why someone would want to let off a mousetrap on the most sensitive part of his body.

NEON review | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | Melba Spiegeltent

With excessive amounts of parachute clothing, big hair and neon colours, it's definitely a trip down memory lane for many attending Circus Oz's Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, NEON. In its fast-paced hour, NEON treats its audiences to some rad circus tricks, wicked tunes and vocals and totally cool dance moves.

The bitchin' soundtrack includes hits like Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax", Prince's "Purple Rain" and the Ghostbusters theme song. These songs are incorporated into acts where movements and tricks are brilliantly timed to peak when the chorus kicks in or a memorable part of the song begins. Despite being upside down during Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", Ian Richardson's handstand canes act leads to some very fancy footwork and Poppy Fairbairn and Zion Martin's Risley (foot juggling) act is taken to the next level when accompanied by Bonnie Tyler's "I Need A Hero". Apart from being gifted circus performers, Lisa Lottie, Richard Sullivan, Fairbairn, Martin and Richardson take on individual personas / stereotypes of the 80s that they are clearly having a lot of fun with and keep them going throughout the night. Lottie’s “bad girl” image is particularly entertaining to see unfold during her ongoing contortionist act.

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.

Papillon review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | Gasworks Arts Park

Circus, cabaret, comedy and a dash of debauchery collide in Papillon. After touring nationally for almost four years, the show has returned to Melbourne for this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival and it definitely lives up to expectations.

Mark Graham's cheeky balancing act displays his strength, amazing sense of balance and the gymnastic skills required to pull this off - as well as his clothing. Later he performs a mesmerising aerial hoop act to a stunning cover of Radiohead's "Creep" sung by Minnie Andrews.

Joshua Phillips' two balancing acts - one on a ladder and then on a number of chairs - add to the suspense one feels when watching circus but his comical demeanour make it seem like he is in control the entire time.

Led my Musical Director, Matt Anderson, the music plays a vital role in this show, setting the mood for each act and evoking varying emotions from the audience. Amy Nightingale-Olsen's rubber ducky trapeze number is suitable paired to a Bert and Ernie themed electronic song, and her partnered juggling act with Anderson, involving some strong hand-eye coordination as well as being in total time with each other, is accompanied by some great swing style music. Similarly, Andrews' performance of Khia's "My Neck, My Back" is a perfect way to begin to bring the show to a close.

Jugg Life - Melbourne Fringe Festival review

There was a time when juggling was simply a person throwing a handful of balls in the air and keeping them there. While it is skillful, there is not much you can do with it to keep audiences entertained for a prolonged period. However, presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, jugglers Byron Hutton and Joe Fisher breathe amazing life into the art form with a highly engaging circus show, aptly titled Jugg Life.

While the two use a variety of balls, juggling clubs and rings for their acts, it is the incorporation of music, percussion and their innovation in challenging what juggling is, that makes this show a definite crowd-pleaser. Their routines involve both some precision timing and the maintaining of impeccable hand-eye coordination not only with themselves but with the other, as objects are often passed back and forth while in mid-routine.

Barbaroi review - Melbourne Fringe

Traditionally, circus is about fun, bright colours and laughter. However in the 2015 Melbourne Fringe circus show, Barbaroi, circus is transformed into a dark, gritty and dirty art form. Coming out of the darkness, there are shady characters and misfits of society. It’s an enthralling hour of entertainment from the seedy underbelly of the arts.

The strong opening sequence sets the mood for the show with The Barbaroi (Avan Whaite, Stan Ricketson, Will Meager, Phoebe Carlson, Caz Walsh and Hazel Bock) entering and exiting the stage, completing various flips and tricks as they do. The lighting work during this is highly effective with six square spotlights on stage shaping the darkness, subsequently allowing the performers to be coming in and out of the shadows. The fast movements of the performers combined with the erratic but perfectly timed lighting choreography is a captivating sight.

Luminous review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | Gasworks Arts Park

Created by champion body painter Jessica Watson Miller, Luminous is circus with a twist. The show is performed under black lights with the performers covered head to toe in various glow-in-the-dark coloured body paints and costumes that create a truly singular viewing experience.

The performers appear on stage, reminding me of wild animals in the jungle as they slowly slither, slide and stalk into the space. At various points throughout the night, the body painters (themselves dressed head to toe in black so they are almost invisible) rub the paints on one of the performers, thus gradually bringing him to life. It's a visual feat that is exciting and intriguing to watch.