Circe’s Carnival of Vice

Bloomsday in Melbourne is a group which, since 1994, celebrates and explores the work of James Joyce. One of the ways in which this is achieved is to stage his work in order to demystify it, make it more accessible or simply provide an avenue to engage with and enjoy his writing. Circe’s Carnival of Vice was scripted by a team of writers: Bruce Beswick, Sian Cartwright, Dan Boyle, Philip Harvey, Linda Rooney and Frances Devlin-Glass in this spirit and as part of other Bloomsday events examining Ulysses.

This production aims to capture the feverish chapter titled Circe which already lends itself to staging given it comes in the form of a script with stage directions and descriptions. Nonetheless, this is a challenging work to bring to life as it predominantly describes drunken and hallucinatory experiences in Dublin’s red-light district. Leopold Bloom (Eric Moran) is at the centre of the action and many of the familiar characters are vividly brought to life. Stephen Dedalus (Ryan Haran), Bella (Kelly Nash), Molly Bloom (Kim Devitt), Mary Driscoll (Elishiva Biernoff-Giles), Zoe (Veronicka Devlin), Rumbold (Dan Boyle), and Cub Reporter (Mitchell Bell) are among the strange and beautiful characters who occupy this surreal and kaleidoscopic dreamscape.

The performances and the staging are extremely compelling, effectively presenting the stream of consciousness nature of the writing and the bizarre situations which unfold. Moran takes a particularly ironic approach to the character, and this sets the tone for the whole performance. Nash brings her persona to life in an extremely commanding and forceful manner, and this adds to the captivating nature of the performance. The performances also pay great attention to the palpable sensuality and fluid sexuality of the roles. All the performers show a very strong commitment to their parts, and this makes the show naturally engrossing.

The costuming (Zachary Dixon) is of particular note and undoubtedly adds a layer of dedication and imagination to the roles. The attention to detail in the costuming is impressive and effectively does the work of creating the setting. The colourful and flowing fabrics look beautifully tailored and are combined with fine or precious looking accessories. This creates a visually astonishing effect, especially when the actors are collectively present on the stage.

The events in the performance are probably easier to follow for audience members who are most familiar with Joyce, but it does provide ways for those who are less familiar to appreciate the text. There are times when a more distinct variation in pace and use of lighting and sound to highlight the drama seem warranted. One of the highlights of the show is the use of large-scale puppetry to represent the presence of a ghost. This was an especially surreal and impressive moment in the show.

Bloomsday in Melbourne offers a very tangible, captivating and immersive way to experience the Circe chapter by turning it into an extremely celebratory and entertaining carnival of vice.

Patricia Di Risio

Photographer: Jody Jane Stitt.