Like a beautiful, wild version of 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream', the marriage of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with Circa’s acrobatic majesty kept the audience simultaneously suspended in a daydream, and on the edge of their seats.
This melding of ornate baroque English music and very physical modern circus resulted in a perfect performance. It was sumptuous from the beginning: musicians were decked out in rich velvet, and the backdrop to the stage was a large silver-lined cloud, reminiscent of a Botticelli painting. Jane Sheldon, the leading soprano, entered the stage as if directing movers, telling the workmen where to place her brushed gold living statues, the Circa performers. While the setting was both opulent and delicate, it was also just a little bit rock and roll: the statues had dreadlocks, and the Soprano had red boots and a half-shaved head. And then the show began.
The music was absolutely delightful. If you could imagine the Colin Firth version of 'Pride And Prejudice', the music recalled some of the ball scenes, but much more fun. The musicians themselves seemed to be having a wonderful time, which is always both wonderful to see, and gives the audience permission to relax and enjoy. It was magical when the musicians interacted directly with the acrobats, breaking down the invisible wall between them.
Jane Sheldon and the second soprano, Lauren Stephenson, were also perfect. Their voices were clear and pure, as if they could shatter crystal. Jane was a foundational part of the show, framing the performances of the Circa artists but also getting in on the act – at one point swinging from the ceiling!
But the true stars of this particular show were Circa. Their performances ranged from poetic – slow displays of flexibility and strength, ending with the artists staring off into the middle distance as if caught in a fresco – to humorous. One performer “fell” off stage, and there was the dreaded but perfectly executed audience participation number, and these lighter notes breathed fresh energy into an otherwise very artistic and poised tableau. It was also clear that Circa know each other very well, their intimacy and almost telepathic communication and support of each other was phenomenal. The sheer physicality of the routines, from the acrobatics to the balancing and the diabolo, set jaws dropping.
The second the performance ended the audience was on its feet. The standing ovation was not only completely merited, it continued long after the last artist had left the stage.
