Jaydem Martin 23/4/22 Jaydem Martin 23/4/22

BRED | Briefs Factory

As impressive as the physical elements were, some of the more powerful moments were the dialogue parts. Emily delivers a powerful spoken word poem that had everyone in the room listening and Luke Hubbard stole the show for me in a closing performance that delved into the ongoing racism in the Australian police force and Indigenous deaths in custody, something that resonated with me deeply.

Katie Rasch 23/4/22 Katie Rasch 23/4/22

In The Arms of Morpheous | ARC Circus

There was something very satisfying about watching Robbie Curtis, the sole performer in In The Arms of Morpheus, float and bounce around in a magical dreamscape. His movement was very fluid and light and the first trick with a big, bouncy cloud of fabric was such a good introduction into his world. Curtis combined some really impressive swinging pole, tumbling and juggling with a lot of well done clowning.

Ads J 27/1/22 Ads J 27/1/22

Cab Suave | Sparkle Society

Cab Suave is both a fresh and flirty take on circus cabarets and well needed reimagining of film noir for the modern era. Packed with all the circus you could need, a script full of zingers, and whole lot of charm, it’s the perfect piece of escapism for the virus that shall not be named.

Dr Fed 20/12/21 Dr Fed 20/12/21

Circus in a Teacup | Vulcana Circus

The stories that the women told were deeply personal, and yet they were evocative of the experiences of many women. I thought of my mother, my sister, my best friends, and the many women who touched my life. I thought about the shared experiences, the coping mechanisms, and the healing processes. I was reminded of how resilient women can be.

Dr Fed 8/12/21 Dr Fed 8/12/21

Cirque Bon Bon | JACs Entertainment

Cirque Bon Bon does not hold back and offers a rich circus experience. It features a very talented crew of artists who perform the most iconic circus acts including acrobatic archery, aerials, juggling, hoop dance, unicycle, acrobatic skating, and roue cyr.

Ofa Fanaika 29/11/21 Ofa Fanaika 29/11/21

Absolute Trash | Glitter Martini

Filthy by the Scissor Sisters plays and the acts roll out from side stage. The first few acts consist of beautiful women dressed in hazmat suits, a wheelie bin scene with a bin chicken, a gorgeous garbage bag dress, and burlesque skits all connected by the ever-present rubbish that lives all around us, that we keep continuing to create!

Ads J 23/11/21 Ads J 23/11/21

The Most Spectacular Cake | You Me Three Clown Co

Obvious spoiler warning, the cake ends up all over the stage. We know it's going to happen. There's clowns, there's cake, there's plastic wrap on the floor, we know where it's going to end up. In less skilled hands, this could detract from performance. However, Wren and Ash build everything up to the greatest crescendo possible, before each accident happens with an unexpected twist that's more ridiculous than the last. This is good old fashioned slapstick at its finest that left all in the audience bellowing with laughter.

Hope One 20/9/21 Hope One 20/9/21

Nerve | Lauren Watson

The display of sheer strength and determination shone through this work brilliantly, as Lauren lifts her body onto the Lyra, in which she cleverly pulls from one of the disassembled wheelchairs on set and performs a superhuman aerial routine with impressive shapes as the haze floats peacefully on the surface floor and the mood lighting stunningly highlights her willpower.

Catherine Lawrence 17/9/21 Catherine Lawrence 17/9/21

Street Serenades | Brisbane Festival

I seem to have spent quite a bit of the last week lurking around Brisbane parks (and even a council pool). Don’t worry; I was waiting to see circus, dance, theatre, sword-swallowing, and to catch some local bands. And I wasn’t alone, as I was in the company of a few other hardy souls, as we waited for the latest Brisbane Festival Street Serenade.

Saskia Sassen 11/9/21 Saskia Sassen 11/9/21

Auntie's Fiafia Night | Casus Circus

Imagine two powerful women with vibrant flower covered moomoos, fanning themselves with woven fans, and big palm leaf plant beside them, laughing and gesturing as the performers take turns trying to earn a smile from them all night long. This shows just how respected elders and women are in Pasifika culture and that was an amazing take away for those who may not be of that background/culture.

Saskia Sassen 10/9/21 Saskia Sassen 10/9/21

Demolition | Polytoxic

When arriving at my seat a wave of proud brown girl joy makes its way through my spirit as the demolition work site sets the scene for what is going to be one of the most memorable shows that I've witnessed. I was about to undergo a unravelling of identity and I was more than ready!

Katie Rasch 9/9/21 Katie Rasch 9/9/21

Demolition | Polytoxic

The importance of solidarity really stuck with me and I felt like I was being shown an inclusive version of sisterhood that I could really relate to. This was no highly sanitised mainstream girlboss sisterhood, but the kind of solidarity that can be difficult and gritty and requires you to show up for other people and do the work.

Virag Dombay 9/9/21 Virag Dombay 9/9/21

Dirty Laundry | Briefs Factory

Briefs Factory’s Dirty Laundry is sexy but it also has a lot of heart and soul. It’s a show that not only dazzles but is also about connection and finding joy and pleasure in moments of uncertainty. It’s a show that will make you wolf-whistle, stomp your feet and leave you thirsty for more.

Ofa Fanaika 9/9/21 Ofa Fanaika 9/9/21

Demolition | Polytoxic

Polytoxic’s show Demolition is not only a staggering showcasing of Circus and Theatre, it is a moving and uplifting Call-To-Arms. The effortless shift of scenes drew my senses in and catapulted me from issue to issue that many women in this world face on a daily basis.

Hope One 9/9/21 Hope One 9/9/21

Demolition | Polytoxic

This work left me feeling seen on so many levels - as a Queer non-binary person struggling to fit the status quo, as a Maori woman who wasn’t raised on her Marae or Ancestral lands, as a Mother realising the importance of embracing culture for your children’s future, as a woman being surrounded by the constant pressures of living up to the patriarchal structure and never feeling good enough. I felt uplifted, hopeful, powerful and full of rage.

Kati Murphy 3/8/21 Kati Murphy 3/8/21

Seen But Not Her | Vulcana Circus

I felt like I was watching the inner workings of a glorious music box. The cogs in this microcosm represented by the musicians and their instruments, and the mathematics intrinsic to music generally, and more specifically in the complexity of a piano trio such as this. Also trapped in the music box, layered over these inner workings were the physical performers, who for me were like spirits or muses who represented the imperfect nature of creativity.

Dr Fed 1/8/21 Dr Fed 1/8/21

Hysteria | Chelsea McGuffin & Co and Backbone

I find circus to be a great interpretative tool to represent mental distress. Very much like mental health, the success of circus relies on balancing skills. The main act of Hysteria was funambulism (tightrope), with performers walking and even cycling on the rope throughout the show. What I appreciated the most about these acts of funambulism was when the performers walked together, balanced each other out, and helped each other getting to the other side of the rope. Again, just like mental health, circus is better with the support of other.

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In the Arms of Morpheus | Robbie Curtis & ARC Circus

With In the Arms of Morpheus, Robbie Curtis not only solidifies himself as a performer to watch, he pushes the boundaries of storytelling in contemporary circus. Through outstanding skills and impressive staging, he showcases how well circus can tell moving and immersive narratives.

Dr Fed 19/7/21 Dr Fed 19/7/21

Collision | Casus Circus & Mad Dance House

I am an enthusiast of circus acrobatics and hip hop dance, but admittedly I never thought of these two next to one another. Both these physical practices involve impressive feats, but they engage bodies very differently. Bodies in circus acrobatics move vertically, and “slow” is the magic word. Hip hop relies on quick feet, isolations, and power moves. And while circus acrobatics and hip hop dance are so different, I was pleased to see how they were harmonised in Collision.

Kati Murphy 10/6/21 Kati Murphy 10/6/21

Cinemata Circus [May 2021] | Vulcana Circus

Vulcana definitely challenges any stereotypical notions of superstars, or a hierarchy amongst the talent; and they often blur the lines of audience and performer too. These are all gaps once thought impossible to bridge; and just another of the reasons, Cinemata Circus is such an exciting addition to the regular arts scene. If you want to be among the stars for the night, this is definitely the wagon to hitch yourself to!