Uncovered Circus returns to Midsumma Festival with their new show, Spectrum. While last year's show, Uncovered, explored homosexuality and first time encounters, this time round, director and performer Dave Coombs has broadened the scope looking to highlight the experiences of the rainbow that creates the LGBTQIA+ community.
Spectrum begins with an intriguing opening act with Liam Dunner on the aerial straps. It's an arresting routine with the rest of the cast standing either side of him, gradually placing a row of coloured bottles centre stage in recognition of the rainbow flag, thus firmly establishing the intent of this show.
The range of acts that follow showcase the skills these up and coming circus performers have worked hard on refining. Spectrum asks a lot from its cast and while there are a few mishaps here and there (this is circus after all), they deliver some exceptional moments. Adam Malone displays incredible control and speed with his acrobatic hula-hoop act, and his head-balancing act on the Washington trapeze to Tinashe's "Bated Breath" can easily be considered to be Spectrum's heart stopping moment.
The song selection is integral to a circus such as this in heightening the emotions and experience being presented. Zoë Marshall and Nicole Pienaar's aerial hoop act to Abra's "Thinking of U" is a great example of a song working alongside their intimate choreography and vulnerable body language and expressions to create a clear and affecting story. Regardless of where you sit under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella, the stirring response to Marshall and Pienarr's act is a universal one.
She's been an Aussie darling from the moment she graced our television screens in April 1986 as Charlene Robinson on Neighbours. Since then, Kylie Minogue has become an international icon with a string of pop songs, and Melbourne is now fortunate enough to celebrate her in a tribute performance with an intimate look at her life and career.
In Lucky: Songs by Kylie Michael Griffiths is Kylie and recalls her early beginnings, failed romances and moments that cause her to question her mortality. One of the most appealing aspects of the show is that Griffiths doesn't dress like Kylie or 'act' like Kylie, rather he just is Kylie and it's fascinating how quickly you can easily accept this. In his white fitted shirt and black trousers and shoes, there are no hot pants or big curly blonde wigs in sight. It adds depth to the show and the defining moments of Michael Hutchence's death and Kylie's cancer battle, become even stronger.
Nestled within the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Australian Shakespeare Company present William Shakepeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. This outdoor performance is the perfect way to spend a Melbourne summer evening enjoying a picnic with friends, surrounded by nature and being thoroughly entertained by the hijinks these Athenian residents and fairies find themselves in.
For those unaware, the plot follows the marriage between Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazon. However their marriage is put on hold when Egeus announces he want his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius, despite Hermia wanting to marry Lysander and Hermia's close friend Helen being desperately in love with Demetrius. Within the forest that these young lovers find themselves, Oberon, the King of the Fairies attempts to put Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, under a magic spell. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan and just who is supposed to be in love with who becomes one confusing and chaotic romantic comedy.
Magic, circus, live music and dance come together this summer at Arts Centre Melbourne with The Unbelievables. The variety show presents world-class performers that will often leave audiences captivated by what they are seeing in this two-hour live extravaganza.
Roberto Carlos Aguilar's juggling is an absolute highlight of the show and to have had him on stage for even a few more minutes would have been amazing. At times juggling with his mouth - yes, his mouth - this was one of the most thrilling acts of the evening, with Aguilar reaching speeds and variations that you rarely - if ever - get to see.
Aleksandra Kiedrowicz is mesmerising with her aerial performance and the accompanying musical rendition of Des'ree's "Kissing You" by Emi Secrest is a breathtaking moment, as is any musical number with Secrest. Sos and Victoria Petrosyan's Guinness World Record breaking act of 16-costume change illusions in two minutes will leave you gobsmacked, trying to figure out exactly how it is done.
Having seen circus troupe Gravity & Other Myths perform Backbone at Melbourne Festival last year, there was much anticipation about seeing their debut show, A Simple Space, during its return season to Melbourne. While both shows exhibiting incredible creativity and skill, it's the absence of any elaborate concept and design that were present in Backbone that allows A Simple Space to blow you away.
The show is stripped off most props, lighting effects and other elements with only a black mat roughly four metres wide and six metres deep set up on stage. With our attention ultimately glued towards the seven acrobats, they work with the only thing that's left: each other. They demonstrate surprising feats on what the human body is capable of, through a variety of acts. At one point, one performer jumps on bodies lying on the floor, the gap getting bigger and bigger with each successive jump. The highlight though, comes during the 'swinging' act with two people swinging another between them by their hands and feet. The speed and various ways in which this is executed is almost beyond comprehension.
Uncovered Circus returns to Midsumma Festival with their new show, Spectrum. While last year's show, Uncovered, explored homosexuality and first time encounters, this time round, director and performer Dave Coombs has broadened the scope looking to highlight the experiences of the rainbow that creates the LGBTQIA+ community. 
