Review: Circus Delivery
In the interests of full disclosure, I have to confess to being a bit of a fan of Anywhere Festival. Well, a huge fan really. What’s not to love about a festival that celebrates the arts—bringing theatre, circus, dance, performance poetry (and almost anything else you can think of) into spaces that are anywhere but a traditional theatre space.
Understandably, public health restrictions have resulted in a quite different festival for 2020. But hats off to the Anywhere Festival team for their response, reinvention, and re-emergence. Paul Osuch, Anywhere Festival CEO, couldn’t have put it better when he described the current program as “the unique experiences we’ve all been waiting for during lockdown. The moment of re-invention as we all re-emerge. These shows are very Anywhere and fabulous for audiences to experience with the added bonus of supporting performing artists to come back out and do what they do best, perform to a welcoming audience.”
Picture: Circus Delivery Space Divas and Hula, West End. Pictures Credit: Creative Futures Photography.
I hadn’t realised just quite how much I’d missed the traditional May-is-Anywhere-Festival ‘slot’ until I received an invite to attend one of the much-coveted ‘Driveway July’ Circus Delivery events. It did feel a little strange to be going out. Indeed, so strange that we hadn’t really given much thought to bringing a drink, picnic or even a rug to sit on (and forgotten how relatively cool Brisbane July evenings can be). But from the first moments, the experience was so positive: seated and standing outside, with suitable distancing (and even welcoming sanitiser, and reassurance that all safety and Government restrictions were being observed), it was great to gather with a small number of fellow audience members. The excitement rose as we anticipated seeing live performance, while at the same time trying to refrain from too much driveway envy (the driveway we visited had rather wonderful views of the Brisbane River).
Vulcana’s Circus Delivery visited Brisbane’s northside (1-6 July), west & south west (8-12 July), southside & south east (15-19 July), programming from a ‘chocolate box’ of different offerings that included Earnest the clown, handstands on the back of a ute, and hula hooping extravaganzas. Each show was different, depending on the circus team performing in the local area, and of course on the space available in the particular driveway.
Our small West End audience was treated to an intergalactic and very sparkly party, which had four key elements: entry and audience warm up, space divas dance, hula, and close. MC’d and led by DJ Inferno who ‘segwayed’ down a rather steep driveway to get the party started, the ‘unifying power of disco’ ensured suitable distancing participation from much of the audience. Throughout, DJ Inferno engaged the audience with light banter, which included the regular renaming of participants (Doris the dog temporarily became ‘brunch,’ and there were frequent questions for ‘awkward teenager’). Once the audience was suitably warmed up, the Space Divas took to the ‘stage,’ modelling fantastic costumes with attitude, and managing their dance moves in amusing style (even when in their inflated space suits). The hula moves by the fourth performer brought a different aspect to the show (wryly narrated by DJ Inferno), before the team had to return to their spaceship. All in 30 minutes and for an event charge to our host of $60.
This was such a great way to begin to re-emerge. I’m going to be glued to the Anywhere Festival channels, to see what else we can go out (and stay in) for.
Verdict: A great way to get back to seeing live performance. Perfect for all ages (would have made a wonderful birthday present—staying in as the new going out).
Audience tip: Keep an eye on the Anywhere Festival website (https://anywhere.is/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/anywherefestival/) for future shows and inspiration.
The reviewer attended the Saturday 19 July 2020 closing night of Circus Delivery, West End, Brisbane (5:00pm). Pictures Credit: Creative Futures Photography.