This winter, after rocking through their regional Victorian tour and a run of hot shows for the Australia now festival in Sao Paulo, Brazil, – Circus Oz returns to Melbourne to kick off the Circus Oz Big Top premiere of their raucous new show: TWENTYSIXTEEN – created in 2016, touring through 2016, this is a show from now, for now!
TWENTYSIXTEEN is a refreshing cocktail of new and old, innovation and tradition. The turbo-charged acrobats have been training like demons to bring amazing new skill and wizardry to the flying trapeze, the Chinese pole and unicycle adagio.
A brand new group-juggling act is sure to drop jaws as 21 clubs duck and weave from acrobat to acrobat. Newcomer Robbie Curtis not only moves like Nijinsky while juggling seven balls, but also supports the whole Circus Oz ensemble by literally lifting them off the floor – all at once.
Rumour has it that the fabulous Circus Oz comic genius, who brought Fantaysia Fitness to life, may be back in action, splitting sides and wetting pants from start to finish.
Two hours of high-voltage acrobatics and explosive aerial antics all accompanied by the sensational Circus Oz band, TWENTYSIXTEEN is classic Circus Oz: absurd Australian larrikins pushing the boundaries of possibility and defying the laws of physics.
Guest Show Director, Anni Davey, explains that her inspiration comes directly from the circus artform itself – its rawness and its authenticity. “The circus exists in everyone’s imagination and for some people that imaginary space is their real world,” says Davey.
“In the circus there is no editing, no replay button, no seven-second delay, no CGI, no sequencing, no sampling, no trickery – it is just really great tricks. The circus is real people doing extraordinary stuff. It’s inspiring to watch because it pushes people to question what is possible.”
“Our new show TWENTYSIXTEEN is straight up Circus Oz – it’s a show for everybody. Cheeky, irreverent and hilarious!”
At Circus Oz nothing is impossible and everyone is extraordinary, staying true to their grass roots creative process, that delivers a surprising and inventive show created through the collaboration, experience and inspiration of the Circus Oz ensemble and artistic team.
In 2016 Sam Aldham, Robbie Curtis and Sharon Gruenert join the ensemble of April Dawson, Ben Hendry, Spenser Inwood, Kyle Raftery, Ania Reynolds (Musical Director), Matt Wilson and Dale Woodbridge-Brown, while Flip Kammerer makes a come-back special for TWENTYSIXTEEN.
2016 Guest Show Director: Anni Davey Senior Circus Artist and Founding Member: Tim Coldwell Senior Artistic Associate: Antonella Casella Musical Director: Ania Reynolds Set Design: Emily Barrie Costume Design and Founding Member: Laurel Frank Lighting Design: Paul Jackson Prop Design: Michael Baxter Guest Act Development: Debra Batton and Jo Lancaster
TWENTYSIXTEEN will play Birrarung Marr, Melbourne under the Circus Oz Big Top from 15 June – 10 July 2016. Tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit: www.circusoz.com for details.
Image: Circus Oz 2016: Matt Wilson (main), Sharon Gruenert and Ben Hendry (inset) – photo by Rob Blackburn