Birrarung
Marr, Melbourne
Until
July 13
The line-up for the Circus Oz 30th anniversary production is a balancing act in itself,
with a mix of old and new routines, some new cast members, and an original member:
the ‘Upside Down Man’ (Tim Caldwell), who must be a national treasure by now.
Many of the acts are dressed up as comic
sketches, like the rollerblading Flip Kammo, whose routine has more spills than
thrills but which culminates in an impressive mid-air somersault. Other acts have
a more timeless circus look, letting the thrill and skill speak for themselves,
like Rockie Stone’s aerial act; while others blur the line, such as the duo who
combine breathtaking chair-balancing with a trapeze act.
Further genre blending happens in the juggling
and contortion acts of Sosina Wogayehu, which take on a comic edge,
particularly when she is accompanied by the inspired clowning of Nicci Wilks in
her hilarious fat suit. Wilks nearly steals the show with her comedic
characters, like the ‘builder’s crack’ displaying, mullet-sporting, juggling
bricklayer; and she can still wow an audience with her hypnotic, giant, rolling
Hula Hoop routine (pictured).
The aerial acts this year are among the
best Circus Oz have offered, with
another mix of tradition and novelty. For example, one routine morphed into a Frankenstein parody, with a squealing
mad scientist hauling a cadaverous but hunky monster (Ben Lewis) up on ropes where
he whirls or free-falls like an out-of-control puppet. This sketch was made all
the better by one of the best bands in Circus
Oz history. Headed by the accordion-playing Svetlana Bunic – of Monsieur Camembert fame – and composer Michael
Lira, they dish up every imaginable musical style like a silent movie orchestra,
accompanying the comedy acts or adding extra frisson to the aerial and
balancing acts. They added extra zest to the Frankenstein act too, with spooky ‘horror movie’ effects; switching
to 1940s Hollywood mode for Caldwell’s
inverted detective movie sketch.
With this unpredictable blend of
traditional acts, raucous comedy and a very sexy earthiness, Circus Oz can still hold their own in
the ever-changing world of circus.
www.circusoz.com
Photo: Ponch Hawkes
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