By Jennifer Beasley.
Circus Oz excel once again with an infectious feast of acrobatic delights, hand-clapping music and daredevilry in this non-stop energy performance.
Sixty minutes of pure adrenaline!
Aerial stunts!
Slapstick comedy!
And-my all-time favourite- trapeze!
Held in the magnificent main hall at the Melbourne Town Hall, this show delivers a non-stop performance to suit young and old alike. Sure, I know it’s been said before, but in a room that can hold 500 warm bodies, mostly the tiny talkative types wanting to know what’s for dinner and can I go to the toilet, this show held even the most restless spellbound.
Founded in 1977, Circus Oz has continued to amaze and surprise audiences around the world. This show will tour regional Victoria in July (Shepparton and Bendigo among others), before going to The Big Apple (NYC) in December. You go Circus Oz!
This show really delivers. Opening to the female performer, wearing a blue dress, performing her acrobatic feats on the hanging trapeze, with a nice running gag of pulling her dress down in between, her strength and agility put to shame my boast that I can touch my toes. But we can’t all be as fantastic as the seven colourful performers that make up this stunning troupe!
Wearing the seven colours of the rainbow, a lovely subtle nod to gay and trans rights, both the male and female performers (as well as the two band members) wore single-coloured dresses. I just loved this statement that you can own who you are and still be accepted. Something that society still needs reminding on to unscrew those nails that keep the lid tight on outdated ideologies.
The pumping music from the guitar, drums, and at times even the flute, adds great rhythm and clapability ( I made that word up because I could) to this production. Every act was jiving to the beat, with no soft spots. Action packed, adrenaline pumping and even sweat inducing as I held my breath and wiped my palms as the incredible aerialist, dressed in this magnificent swirling red dress that accentuated his movements and beautifully lit by red lights, was hanging by his neck (OMG) from the heights of the ceiling. Heart rate, please calm down! He is the highlight of the show and my daughter’s favourite.
The ongoing gag of the archer and her assistant was a real romp and gave the other acts a tiny piece of time to catch their breath. But not for long as one heart racing brush with your nervous system came after the other. The strongman juggling THREE balls that must have weighed five kilograms each, the power of the strongwoman in green and the equally powerful smaller ball of feminine muscle as they each play-fought and ended up carrying each other’s weight on their shoulders. I struggle to pick up my dog. I can pick up the King Charles but not the big fat one.
The slapstick humour will win over even the most fractious child, as the laughter is boundless for every clown like scene.
Then came the daredevil skills of the sixty-five-year-old performer. Age really is no barrier. (I’m going to try to touch the floor. One day.)
It’s obvious that this tight knit team have a strong love for each other, as you’d expect when you are risking your life with some of these stunts. The trapeze act brought out all the skills these performers possess. Why the Green Room Awards do not have a place for circus acts is a mystery, because Circus Oz should be commended on their creativity, music, sound and lighting as well as the choreography and skills.
Do NOT MISS THIS! I’m telling everyone to go see it! But hurry, MICF finishes Sunday.
A non-stop five stars!
Circus Oz: Non Stop now playing at Melbourne Town Hall at 11:30am, 3pm and 6:30 pm until 20th of April.
