The Anniversary | Salvador Dinosaur
I’m not even going to try to mince words, The Anniversary is a physical comedy masterclass. The performances, direction, physical comedy, sets, props, puppetry – basically everything - combine to create a rollercoaster of a ride that had me crying with laughter throughout. If you are a fan of absurdist comedy, clown or dark humour, do not miss this one if it comes to a theatre near you.
Assume People Like You | Melon The Human
Melon the Human demonstrates clowning at its finest, providing an hour’s worth of circus with the skill of a yesteryear street hustler. He kept us there. Melon’s fluidity in all the balancing, balls, rings, giant cube gags, tennis ball decoys he scatters throughout his performance are masterful. A stellar performance for his first time running this show. Most definitely worth a looksee.
Casting Off | A Good Catch
If you have ever eaten miso on toast, tofu and struggled to remember things, postulating dating and need to read the ethical slut or have wondered why church and state are not separate in parliament, or just a reminder that nothing’s off limits when a bunch of women are together. I want you all to see Casting Off. Don’t miss this show. It is absolutely without doubt, is a must see show and you will be left thinking about it for days after.
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.
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.
RUNT | Dee, Cornelius and Wilks
We are ruled by the body. We think our chattering minds are leading this affair but really it is the body that sings and screams, the skin that hungers for touch. You can go mad if no one touches you. You can go mad if love gets all twisted up. We know that children need safety to grow strong and true, they need enough attention to validate them, that emotional maturity and regularity is directly linked to the security we experience in our formative years.
Tell us about the first time you saw a circus show….
We love the circus here at Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane, and it turns out, so do all the circus artists we know! We’re so excited for CIRCFest 22 Meanjin, so we went to all the circus performers and asked them to tell us about the first time they saw a circus show, or glimpsed a clown, or found the magic of the circus stage…
Karen Lee Roberts is a creative Chameleon
For a show about a subject as serious as mental health/ mental wellness, Chameleon is quite light- hearted throughout. There are darker moments, and people do shed tears, but you will definitely get your fair share of belly laughs and giggles in this cabaret. It has been written to not take one’s self too seriously, and has some absolutely hilarious scenes unfold.
The Rabbit Hole | Ad Astra
Both characters experience this grief differently, with Becca packaging everything away and trying to distance herself as much as possible and Howie watching old VCR tapes and trying to hold onto whatever is left of his son. Both Bailey and Hirst deliver exceptional, emotionally gut-wrenching performances as their respective characters. Each have a stand-out moment when their grief boils up to the surface and explodes.
What does circus mean to you?
If you haven’t heard, Brisneyland is getting it’s very own circus festival - thehighly anticipated CIRCFest22 Meanjin. Circus for young folk, for those looking for an extravagant night on the town, for lively teens, for sweet and shy people, for those with a sick sense of humour, circus for everyone! We’ve gone out to some of the incredible artists that will be performing across the festival from April 21 to May 1, and we asked them, what does circus mean to you?
Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner | Darlinghurst Theatre Company & Green Door Theatre
Before they know it, Cleo and Kara are thrust deep, deep, deep inside the rabbit hole of racism, colourism and the ongoing, relentless commodification of Black women. But when tweets resurface that question @INCOGNEGRO’s stance on homophobia, the battle is no longer fought in cyberspace. It becomes very personal. Gender preferences, shades of skin-colour, types of hair, beauty… are on the table as these two rip into each other while delving headlong into their very own pain and anguish.
Face to Face | Emily Wells & Playlab Theatre
Growing up in an Indigenous community, many of the issues that impact our mob happen so frequently that I personally found and still find it difficult to properly process a lot of the grief and my own trauma. Sitting in the crowd and watching the characters speak gave me some time to truly reflect and allowed me to be vulnerable as they expressed their own vulnerability.
Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner | Darlinghurst Theatre Company & Green Door Theatre
Play wright Jasmine Lee Jones explores a range of issues in this creation. Issues we face in this society as women of colour with working through the trickiness of white-privilege, attraction and body-shaming, the male gaze, sexual assault, sexuality, colourism and the deep dive discord of social media. It reminds us all the social media can be a dark space and it’s easy to lose yourself in it. And also, how much our privacy is abolished in our absent minded engagement in it. How many times have you felt the pang of reaction / non-reaction to a post you share? We all do it. And it’s crazy!
Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner | Darlinghurst Theatre Company & Green Door Theatre
Under the direction of Shari Sebbens, the way the actors express their inner rhythm was so captivating. I read along to witty and vibrant UK accents interpreting tweets layered with gifs, emojis, memes and internet slang - the pair are so on point they hit each word on beat like a follower hits the love button. You like it, but then it’s not quite enough and you have to give it ‘another one, another one, another one.’
Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner | Darlinghurst Theatre Company & Green Door Theatre
In a lot of ways I see the internet as a fun ball and chain attached to my ankle. There are so many more ways to connect, but also so many more ways to have expectations placed on you, and whether you love it or hate it, there feels like there's a kind of an inevitability to it. 7 Methods captures that feeling so well. Even when the actors devolve into the frankly stupid overuse of memes and abbreviations in their real-life speech, it still felt right to me. It felt authentic. That sense of authenticity contributed to a near constant stream of laughter from me and the rest of the audience.
“We give a platform to the best improv and comedy shows.” Rosa Sottile on Big Fork Theatre’s dedicated comedy theatre
There are so many great shows on. Every week we have totally new improv shows and also regular stand-up and variety shows! If you want to see improv for the first time I would recommend our classic improv format, ‘Cool Story Bro’ on Friday nights. It’s Big Fork’s flagship show. True stories inspire hilarious improv scenes! Some other particularly exciting shows coming up are the BrisAsia Festival shows – ‘BrisAsia Stands Up’ and ‘Wer Ya From’. We also have some great Brisbane regular shows coming to the theatre like ‘Stand Up vs Improviser’ and ‘Freak Box’, and our first show making a comeback ‘Get It Inya’, an experimental comedy show!
A fundamental guide to bullet proofing your grant process
Grants are something that are not for the faint of heart. They take grit, commitment, self-confidence, honesty and passion. I was not expecting it to become something that I really enjoy doing, like I love the learning, the process, the people and the projects and that’s why many writers do it. Although we are few and far between, we share commonalities and have similar experiences. There are definitely dos and don’ts along the way – for how we engage with you and how you engage with us.
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.
"If you're looking for a bit of an escape, Cab Suave is the place to go!" Abby Kelso on Sparkle Society's reimagining of film noir with a circus twist
Cab Suave isn't just a cabaret, it has a full storyline that will have you engaged and wanting to know what happens next, and interesting characters with personality and charm. Combining circus with live music and theatre, it's cheesy and funny and doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're looking for a bit of an escape after the last few years, Cab Suave is the place to go!
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.