As part of our exploration behind the scenes at Circa, we turned the spotlight on esteemed lighting designer, Paul Jackson, at the end of a busy day’s rehearsals. A graduate of the University of Melbourne and RMIT, Paul has designed lighting for The Australian Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Berlin Staatsballett, West Australian Ballet, Victorian …
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AS IF BY DESIGN, THERE WAS LIGHT
The Fabric of Circa
Ten years ago, Libby McDonnell walked through our studio doors as Circa’s newly-appointed costume designer. 2010 had been a challenging year, with the company facing cancelled shows as venues and audiences reeled from the repercussions of a global (financial) crisis. It was a year when our Artistic Director, in his annual report, described circus as …
Through the Lens – Recreating an Icon by Jessica Connell
Through the Lens Part 2. Jessica Connell has been a Circa Ensemble member for over 9 years. A virtuosic circus artist, she is also an accomplished and passionate photographer. Her time with the company has taken her all around the world and afforded her the opportunity to build a collection of thousands of photographs …
Through the Lens – A photographic essay by Jessica Connell
Through the Lens Part 1. Jessica Connell has been a Circa Ensemble member for over 9 years. A virtuosic circus artist, she is also an accomplished and passionate photographer. Her time with the company has taken her all around the world and afforded her the opportunity to build a collection of thousands of photographs taken …
Crisis management and the virtual office
At Circa, we are familiar with crisis situations. Risk is part of our world, and one of the key elements of our art that enthralls audiences across the globe. As we traverse between 10 and 15 countries each year, complications caused by travel cancellations, extreme weather events and of course illness and injury are managed …
Yaron and Libby behind a convention shattering creation
On February 8, 2020 a defiant new work that triumphs over social and artistic archetypes was performed in front of 12,000 people in Melbourne’s iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Directed and choreographed by Circa’s Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz and Associate Director Libby McDonnell, it featured no circus performance or circus artists, but rather filled the …
Art, empathy and crossing borders – Yaron Lifshitz’s provocation at the ISPA (International Society of Performing Arts) Conference in New York City 16/01/2020
Leviathan rehearsals Yesterday I was pitching Leviathan, our show with a cast of 36. The number 36 was chosen because the Talmud tells us of the Lamed Vav – the 36 righteous people on whom the fate of the world rests. This is an important gathering, and while I think righteous might be pushing the …
Taking Five with Marty Evans
Amid the whirlwind of performing Humans five times a week at Underbelly at the Edinburgh Fringe, acrobat and all-round incredible human Marty Evans caught up with us to talk Humans, pre-show rituals and inspirations. How did you originally come to be a circus performer? I found circus late while I was studying a maths/chemistry degree at the …
Meet Our En Masse Tenor Hans Jörg Mammel
Circa was delighted to collaborate with prolific tenor Hans Jörg Mammel for our recent performances of En Masse in Stuttgart and Barcelona. En Masse is a wild, tender and savage ride, presenting two visions of humanity at its extremes through circus settings of Schubert’s Winter’s Journey and selections from Swan Song as well as Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Hans joins our ensemble onstage …
Q&A with Wolfgang’s Acrobats Kat & Paul
After touring to London, New Zealand and around Australia, the dynamic duo that is Kat and Paul O’Keeffe are venturing through regional Queensland along with musician Gareth Chen this July with Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus. We caught up with them to talk how the wigged genius comes to life on stage, their journeys to circus …
Taking Five with What Will Have Been’s Violinist, Lachlan O’Donnell
Lachlan O’Donnell is a Sydney-based violinist who regularly performs throughout Australia and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. As a soloist Lachlan has appeared at major concert halls throughout Europe and Australia and performed live broadcasts on stations like ABC Classic FM and WQXR New York. Having performed with the likes of the …
DRESSING FOR THE BAROQUE – Designing the costumes for our latest show
Circa’s third collaboration with the superb Australian Brandenburg Orchestra combines onstage regal and striking compositions by Purcell, Handel, Playford and Dowland with the extreme virtuosity of Circa’s acrobats. The difference? It’s set in the theme of the English Baroque period featuring compositions played on period instruments, and of course, English Baroque-inspired fashion (you know what they …