Feathers will fly in Circa’s exuberant take on Swan Lake.
The world’s most romantic ballet is re-imagined as a circus spectacular, full of Circa’s signature physicality and shot through with cheeky humour and a thoroughly contemporary energy.
Be swept away by this tale of swans and hapless princes sparkling with quirky touches like the sequinned flipper-wearing duck army and a burlesque black swan. There are sumptuous aerials, jaw-dropping acrobatics and of course feathers! Touching, funny and utterly entertaining, Duck Pond is a tale of identity and finding your true self.
Image by Damien Bredberg.
About
World premiere Brisbane, Australia – July 2023
Performers 10
Duration 70 minutes
REVIEWS
“Messing with Swan Lake is a risky business. You wouldn’t want to do that unless you were a bit of a genius. It so happens Yaron Lifschitz is” – In Queensland//View
“Boldly dramatic in its chaos and also charmingly magical in its whimsy” – Blue Curtains Brisbane//View
★★★★ “Daring and a desire to go beyond…is what keeps Circa on the cutting edge” – Limelight//View
“Hugely entertaining and impressive” – Limelight//View
“Truly talented group of energetic performers with world-class balancing and stage craft skills that astound and amaze” – Stage Whispers//View
★★★★ ½ “Duck Pond may just be one of the most exhilarating and thought-provoking shows you will see this year” – Arts Hub//View
Acknowledgements
Created by Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa Ensemble
Director Yaron Lifschitz
Composer and Sound Designer Jethro Woodward
Costume Designer Libby McDonnell
Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage
Associate Director Marty Evans
Dramaturg and Associate Choreographer Rani Luther
Voice Over Artist Elise Greig
Footage of brutal swan fight used with the kind permission of Carl Bovis.
International Representation
Allen Moon / David Lieberman Artists’ Representatives USA, Canada, Central & South America
Antonin Coutouly / Book Your Show France
Danielle Kellie / Circa Australia & New Zealand
Shaun Comerford / Circa Commercial Projects
Wolfgang Hoffmann / Aurora Nova Worldwide booking & coordination
Yaron Lifschitz / Circa New creations & big dreams
Duck Pond is co-commissioned by QPAC and The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi; The Art House Wyong; Frankston Arts Centre; HOTA – Home of the Arts; Merrigong Theatre Company and Orange Civic Theatre.
Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Gallery
Tour Dates
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 26th April - 1st May 2025 | Madrid, Spain | Teatro Circo Price |
| 2nd September 2025 | Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia | Pilbeam Theatre |
| 4th September 2025 | Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Empire Theatre |
| 6th September 2025 | Caloundra, Queensland, Australia | The Events Centre |
| 10th September 2025 | Ballarat, VIC, Australia | Her Majesty's Theatre |
| 12th - 13th September 2025 | Geelong, Victoria, Australia | Geelong Arts Centre |
| 18th - 20th September 2025 | Canberra, ACT, Australia | Canberra Theatre Centre |
| 25th - 27th September 2025 | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | Theatre Royal Hobart |
| 2nd October 2025 | Frankston, Victoria, Australia | Frankston Arts Centre |
| 4th October 2025 | Nunawading, Victoria, Australia | The Round |
| 8th October 2025 | Goulburn, NSW, Australia | Goulburn Performing Arts Centre |
| 11th October 2025 | Orange, NSW, Australia | Orange Civic Theatre |
| 15th October 2025 | Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia | Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre |
| 18th October 2025 | Griffith, NSW, Australia | Griffith Regional Theatre |
| 22nd - 25th October 2025 | Wollongong, NSW, Australia | Merrigong Theatre Company |
| 1st November 2025 | Dubbo, NSW, Australia | Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre |
Past Dates
| Date | City | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 5th - 8th July 2023 | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | The Playhouse, QPAC |
| 10th - 12th May 2024 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | NYUAD |
| 17th - 18th May 2024 | Macau | Instituto Cultural Macao |
| 4th - 6th July 2024 | Sydney, NSW, Australia | Sydney Coliseum |
| 9th - 13th July 2024 | Montreal, Canada | Montreal Completement Cirque |
| 19th - 24th July 2024 | Galway, Ireland | Galway International Arts Festival |
| 2nd October 2024 | Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA | Walton Arts Centre |
| 5th October 2024 | Boulder, Colorado, USA | CU Presents |
| 23rd October 2024 | Salt Lake City, Utah, USA | Utah Presents |
| 19th - 30th December 2024 | London, England | Southbank Centre |
| 4th - 6th January 2025 | Gothenburg, Sweden | Stora Teatern |
| 22nd - 25th January 2025 | Vancouver, Canada | Dance House |
| 30th January - 1st February 2025 | Toronto, Canada | Meridian Arts Centre |
| 5th - 9th February 2025 | Montreal, Canada | La Tohu |
| 13th - 15th February 2025 | Quebec City, Canada | Le Diamant |
| 22nd March 2025 | Pennsylvania, USA | Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State |