Review: Knee Deep
Quite how I have managed not to see Knee Deep during the last ten years is a complete mystery to me. Make sure you don’t miss out. Despite being in its ‘10th wildly successful year’, the CIRCFest22 Tivoli production of Knee Deep is raw, fresh, fluid, and often breath-taking. And absolutely unmissable, thanks to the stellar performances by Kali Retallack, and by Casus co-founders Jesse Scott, Lachlan McAulay, and Natano Fa'anana.
Knee Deep is a beautifully-crafted display that wordlessly spans both the Intimate and large scale. The 60 minute show is absolutely packed with contemporary circus skills, including literal high-points of towers, hoop, trapeze, and silks—and intimate moments of playful wooing of the egg, and interchangeable, duets, trios, and quartets that move across and though the space.
Four performers, a fabulous soundtrack, and eggs combine in a masterful demonstration of contemporary circus—or perhaps what more accurately might be characterised as dance circus. Knee Deep is beautifully-paced, with fluid movement, throws, and acrobatic ingenuity that suddenly pause for moments of great stillness. The performers work so very well together in different combinations and also in solos, creating a show that is at times funny, and frequently jaw-dropping.
From the opening moments, the audience was entranced by Retallack’s careful walk across the waiting cartons of eggs (projected onto the large screen at the back of the stage), before being thrilled at the full cast’s balletic (and highly-acrobatic) demonstration of trust and skilful throws, lifts and jumps. And that was just in the first 5 minutes.
Personal highlights? Each of the performers produced amazing solo spots. I loved Retallack’s hoop work, egg-walking, jumps and strength. McAulay’s mini-hoop work was astounding, and work on the silk/ropes completely mesmerising. Fa'anana’s work on the silks had to be one of the best demonstrations of skill, style and control that I have ever seen. And Scott’s egg duet was so special—moving from a loving and playfully intimate wooing, through to making us all wince at the ‘foot-top’ jumps.
Picture: Astounding Knee Deep (Credit: Creative Futures Photography).
Picture: Knee Deep (Credit: Creative Futures Photography)
My absolute favourite moments were in the final ten or so minutes of the show, ‘beginning’ with Scott’s amazing balance work on bottles, stool and eggs. Which was remarkable enough even before McAulay climbed up to add a single hand balance crocodile ‘garnish.’ Most shows might have ended on such a high-point, but the Casus team had much more left ‘in the tank.’ The work on, over, below, around the trapeze and sling was a spectacular demonstration of power, ability, and creativity. A M A Z I N G.
Why ‘Knee Deep?’ I’m still puzzling a little on that one. I was certainly deeply and completely engaged and enthralled. I came away inspired and invigorated at the experience, and thinking about the fantastic ways in which eggs were used in a show that reminds us of the fragility and strength of the human body. Eggs and people can roll, be trodden on, and broken. In the hands of (and underfoot with) Casus Creations, eggs are wooed, balanced on, and caught in bowls. And the Casus performers demonstrate quite how versatile, powerful, vulnerable and spectacular the human body can be.
Casus Creations is the perfect name for this team. Thanks to all involved for including Knee Deep in the CIRCFest22 program. As the 2021 Brisbane Festival Auntie’s Fiafia Night demonstrated, Casus can deliver world-class, spectacular shows of any size—and with any number of performers. I’m hoping we get to see Casus Creations at an Olympic scale…. And can’t wait for CIRCfest23.
Audience information: All ages. Limited smoke haze. Knee Deep had three performances during CIRCFest 22 (26-28 April) at The Tivoli, 52 Costin St, Fortitude Valley. Doors open 5:30pm, show starts at 6:30pm (60 minutes). Cabaret seating $60, high-table and Mezzanine seating $40 (plus transaction handling fee $5.95).
The reviewer attended the Tuesday 26th April 2022 6:30pm performance. Picture Credit: Creative Futures Photography. This review first appeared at Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane.