The Long Pigs | We3
A diverse and exciting array of circus performers have graced Brisbane stages for CIRCfest22 Meanjin in the last week. The highlight for me has been The Long Pigs on Thursday night, bringing their masterclass in the art of the macabre to the Metro Arts stage, transforming it into a grisly abattoir with little else other than lighting, ladders, drop sheets and their sheer wits.
Image: Aaron Walker. Cover image: Poncho Hawkes.
The show began with the light fading rapidly from the neutral state and the sound of static pervading the air. It was like all the energy was being sucked from the room or a balloon deflating… even life being extinguished.
Materialising out of the darkness a grimy trio shuffle ritualistically in circles, sharing verbalisations and unpacking an impressive collection of paraphernalia to set up a very serious production line. Immediately I am reminded of some of the well-known trios in the history of entertainment, like Macbeth’s witches, or even the Three Stooges. It’s recognizable in the physical language these artists share, and how they hold themselves as a consequence of the visceral and embodied way in which they work.
After a few cycles this routine felt almost like a spell, as their filth started to shine like an oil slick and I could see the beauty in each character’s darkness. The beauty in their raw emotions that we can all relate to… like jealousy, anger and even irreverence… The symbolisms associated with the pig.
The show was so well crafted it had me in a trance, completely absorbed in vivid sensory details where things are hyper-realistic, or larger than life. Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where everything is colourful but there are darker tones. This is evident in their use of surreal props, like a massively oversized inflatable hammer and a tiny bike. These are the old school gimmicks that everyone recognizes instantly, yet in the hands of these pros they turned into mincing weapons of comedy.
Image: Aaron Walker.
I strongly feel like dark humour such as this plays an important role in fostering our resilience as humans. For this reason, the Long Pigs is a brilliant example of disruptive theatre and highlights for me the importance of the fool in creating social commentary through clowning. It was the perfect balance between dark and light.
The inflatable clown scene was unbelievably good. I experienced it like a hyper-realistic dream sequence. It was so magical. It’s easy to see why these artists are highly respected around the world. This show exists on so many levels, as entertainment for the cheap seats, as a capitalist critique, as a homage to clown and bouffon, as a beautiful work of joy in ensemble.
They score points for managing to convey the whole show very clearly without dialogue (well, except for a piggie muttering!) and managing to make me feel complicit in wrongdoings and not feel bad about it.
Days later, I’m still left carrying a very small part of this show around next to my heart. It’s the simple memory of two pigs eating cream pies under a spotlit sky… and I feel like it is an important reminder to savour life itself, and eat the whole damn pie! I know I will be from now on.
