Review - Circa (Malthouse Theatre)

Circa is many things. It's gymnastics on steroids. It's dance without (seemingly) any structure and it's body work on the most intimate level. If you like, call it the language of acrobatics, it doesn't really matter. It is an accessible, wonderous and spell binding piece of work. Directed by Yaron Lifschitz, Circa shows what can be achieved in theatre without the use of words. Better than that, it virtually renders them useless as each body of each performer takes on a "story" of it's own. The talented cast of seven, Nathan Boyle, Jessica Connell, Daniel Crisp, Jarred Dewey, Todd Kilby, Alice Muntz and Brittannie Portelli switch between solo and group performances throughout the 75 minute set but it's the various 2-performer pieces that makes this MUST SEE theatre. These 2-performer pieces are spread throughout the show and create beautifully intimate worlds so intense and rich that I almost felt as though I was spying on a private moment between two people in time. To me at least, each piece was clearly under-pinned by a certain emotion or theme of the human psyche; chaos, lust/love, playfulness and control are exposed in the first 20 minutes alone. The direction by Lifschitz and his ensemble should be applauded for using the K.I.S.S. principle here - keep it simple stupid - because it could have so easily turned into, well, quite literally a circus if it wanted to! And hey, it probably would have been brilliant in that form too, but the effect of paring the production back and stripping it down to it's rawest form has allowed me, as an audience member, to seek an immediate connection with the performers on an emotional level that would not have been possible if they were competing with other production values. Todd Kilby breaks up the intensity with a solo piece around the mid-point of the set that can best be described as "Billy Elliot Goes To The Farm" - like every piece in this show it stands on its own but is perfectly placed at the right time to break up the intensity of performances. I have to admit that some of the body work between the performers actually concerned me in terms of personal safety - how do they do that to their bodies, and night after night!? I only hope they have excellent health insurance and partners that don't nag them for not doing any of the house work. Circa is a fabulous lesson in realising how our bodies are conduits for emotion and how they can - must - be used to experience it to full effect. Intellect is all well and good, but at the end of the day what we really seek is a physical connection with another human being. To me, Circa is a search for this connection. Head over to the beautiful Malthouse Theatre - the perfect venue for this kind of show - and make sure you don't miss it before it disappears on June 10. Review appeared at: http://theatrevirgin.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/review-circa.html Visit http://theatrevirgin.blogspot.com.au/ for the latest Melbourne Theatre Reviews.