Invisible Things

The Brisbane Powerhouse’s Wonderland Festival is a carnival that gives the stage over to comedy, burlesque and circus acts that might not quite fit in any other theatrical genre. The ‘misfit’ label would probably delight the internationally renowned physical theatre performer, Alex Mizzen. She has the physique of an acrobat and dancer and uses movement in a kind of absurdist short play or film on stage. Her latest piece – Invisible Things – is inspired by her own journals, exploring personal reflections and emotional journeys. It is an act that can’t be put in a box, and yet Mizzen performs from the confines of a large plastic box in the centre of the wonderful Stores Building.

Alex Mizzen is trained in classical ballet and contemporary dance. She classifies herself as a circus artist who specialises in hand balance and aerial chair performance. She has worked with some of the leading Australian and international companies and works with the Flying Fruit Fly Circus and CIRCA Zoo to help new artists discover their creative voices.

In Invisible Things, Mizzen paints a nervous and menacing picture of a trapped individual. Her scribbling on the transparent walls, and manipulation of a large acrobatic silk band brings to mind a padded cell – or simply the madhouse of one’s own mind. This is something we can all relate to! Using simple props, lights and boxes, the character’s confidence grows and Mizzen performs physical feats of pure balance, using fitness to overcome her hesitance and almost OCD introversion. Clever lighting reveals her invisible scrawls – letters, words – it doesn’t matter what they are: they could be warring words in a domestic dispute, the taunts of bullying, the harsh voice of rejection. We are free to interpret the writing however we want to. The frustration eventually explodes as Mizzen breaks free from her restraints – physically and emotionally. The performer employs a harness to soar to sweep up to the ceiling and enjoy the escape of the Stores Building roof space. It is balletic, poetic and beautiful to watch. The immersive presentation is all part of the experience and it was fun watching audience members scuttle out of the way as the huge cube moved toward them in the space.

Invisible Things was developed with collaboration with aerial artist Michael Maggs and contemporary dance maestro Kristian Santic and supported through Artist-In-Residencies at Flipside Circus and Vulcana Circus.

Beth Keehn

Photography: Krystal Beazley