Review - Dark Circus

Dark Circus

Melbourne Festival

Beckett Theatre – Malthouse

5 – 9 October 6pm 2017

This delightful work of sound and projection with an old world charm is high art in motion – it speaks to us all in a unique individual way.   This work sardonic is completely entrancing from go to woe.  “Come for the show, stay for the woe”, is the sardonic catch cry.

Beginning with the sound of a base guitar that quickly accompanies the simple lyrical projected circus images created on the spot as ink sketches that grow and develop and change in medium as the music moves us forward with changes in instruments and sounds.   We witness two artists working in exquisite synchronicity.

Drawings are made in sand, some are very architectural everything transforms.    Images are wiped away and replaced.  Silhouettes come and go representing characters and objects.  Ink merges with water to stunning effect.

The whole is full of wit and ironic humour.

The re-occurring Ringmaster is a motley rather jaded character. 

So many marvelous and exciting things happen in the circus and it feels as if we get to see them all.  There is a human cannonball, an untamable beast, knife throwing and some rather tawdry juggling from Joe the Juggler. 

The whole moves at a agreeable organic pace and is completely mesmerizing due to the highly practiced and exceptional skills of Romain Bermond and Jean-Baptiste Maillet, otherwise known as Stereoptik.

I worry that this big old town of Melbourne is turning into a city of navel gazers.  This is not the first time in the last few years that I have had review ticket for a marvelous European work of very considerable quality and found the auditorium to be less than three quarters full.  Is it that word is not getting out there by the right channels early enough? 

Catching exquisite work such as this on one’s home-town is really a marvelous and inspiring opportunity.

I was captivated!

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)