Circus Oz

Circus Oz is Australia’s internationally acclaimed circus company and return with a brand new show for 2010, running until 11 July under the heated Big Top at Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. Six of the performers (half the cast) are making their debut performances with Circus Oz.
It felt like the performers were warming up during the first half. The audience forgave Jeremy Davies’ minor slip-ups in his magic sequence, and Hazel Bock foot-juggling a table was very impressive even though it sounded like she was giving birth in the ring. We understood that she was angry at Davies’ character, but the prolonged screaming and grunting quickly distracted from her performance. Rowan Heydon-White’s Tissu routine was impressive, but it felt like she was going through the motions; there was no excitement, no suspense.
The show’s ensemble sequences were a definite highlight. Four-person juggling became seven-person juggling, a comic trapeze duo clambered over each other mid-air, and there was a group acrobatics sequence – complete with extremely well executed slow motion.
MC Sarah Ward and the band provided live accompaniment throughout – including witty original lyrics by Ward and the unfortunately uncommon sound of a theremin at the hands of Carl Polke. Top performances of the night were Paul O’Keefe’s flatland bi/unicycle combination, Sarah Ward’s genre-spurning vocals, and Mason West’s amazing multi-directional, multi-level Rola Bola. The audience was brought to their feet during the finale in appreciation of the feats of skill displayed by the talented performers of Circus Oz.
Ian Nisbet

Circus Oz: (Back L- R) Paul O'Keefe, Sarah Ward, Hazel Bock. (Front) Jeremy Davies. Photo: Rob Blackburn.