Most kids leave the circus tent starry eyed, bursting with desire to join the wild, unruly and talented troupe they have witnessed.
Some even pack their bags when their parents unjustly upset them. But with age, these aspirations fall away, and 'normal' jobs are pursued. This is not how the story ends, however, for Gravity & Other Myths (GOM) Co-Founder Lachlan Binns, whose eyes, 15 years later, are just as starry.
“I joined Cirkidz the same year as Martin (Schreiber, GOM Co-Founder). Staying up late, doing shows and all the things you do with your friends as a teenager really lit the spark for me. When we ended our time at Cirkidz, we didn't want to stop. So we started GOM and kept going. We made ‘Freefall’ and were lucky enough to have the Adelaide Fringe right at our fingertips. Eventually we made ‘A Simple Space’, which we took overseas, and that's when things took off and we started to do it professionally full time.”
Despite the sway of other sports, Binns found the diversity and mateship of circus called loudest.
“There was a moment, about 12, that soccer training and Cirkidz training were the same night, so I had to choose. There's a lot under the umbrella of circus – acrobatics, aerials, trapeze, rope, Diablo, devil sticks. Even within disciplines, there's different ways to approach it. It's non-competitive, supportive, and lets you express yourself with performance. The variety of ways to sink your teeth in drew me to it, and training with my friends kept me interested.”
It took some time for Binns to believe that his passion could become a long-term career, but the group kept growing and innovating.
“Coming out of high school, all of the traditional career paths were being pitched, but making a career out of circus was always floating in the background. I was just doing it because I loved it. Four or five years in, we started to get success and it started to feel more tangible. We still pinch ourselves now, that spark’s still there. At the beginning, we wanted to make something fresh that had never been seen before. The tone was where we could really innovate.”
Inspiration comes in all forms for the group, who have now toured their multiple shows across the world for more than 15 years.
“We get inspired by lots of different things, shows and performances. Most of our work is not particularly narrative driven, it's abstract and open to interpretation. When we go to creative development, we have a seed idea and we develop ideas based off that to generate physical content and language.”
“Part of that is props. For ‘Backbone’, someone suggested a suit of armour, so we bought one and that became the inspiration for a whole scene. We'll get something that has a loose connection and go, how can we make this fun, interesting to watch, and have a tangible connection to the core idea. Now we own three suits of armour all around the world on different continents.”
The troupe are bringing multiple shows to the Adelaide Fringe for a diverse showcase of themes and skills. ‘Ten Thousand Hours’ is Binns’ directorial debut, focusing on excellence and mastery.
“Malcolm Gladwell says it takes 10,000 hours of consistent practise at any given skill to achieve mastery. We love that idea of pouring time and energy into a specific thing, and the way that can be applied to every facet of your life, learning to walk, run, tie your shoes. We applied that to training acrobatics. As a group, we have sunk hours and sacrificed time, blood, sweat and tears into perfecting what we do. The thing you see on stage is a tiny fragment of a huge timeline of energy and effort.”
“There's also playfulness and fun in most GOM shows, because we love doing it. The end result is crazy, high-level acrobatics that's spectacular and dynamic. The level the acrobats have achieved is incredible. They’re at the cutting edge. If you like anything physical, you're gonna love watching what these guys do. I love watching it every day.”
Next show ‘The Mirror’ explores more existential themes, with a dash of the seductive.
“As the title suggests, ‘The Mirror’ gets into self-image, and is inspired by cabaret without being cabaret. It looks at the ways we view ourselves, how we're influenced by external stimuli like pop culture and social media, and how we interact with the world. It's got a bit more skin than GOM shows normally have, without being overtly sexual. It’s sexy in the way strong people doing functional things with their bodies is good to watch, seeped with high-level group acrobatics.”
“Our singer Ekrem Eli Phoenix blends pop culture songs into mashups with original music, and he weaves this journey from start to finish. We've always made shows that can be seen by everyone. This one’s definitely leaning more towards that late-night adult audience. It’s raucous, risque, but playful and fun and irreverent, with some introspective themes as well.”
Binns advises prospective acrobats that, under the circus tent, all are welcome and valued, which serves as confirmation for any adult who might still have that twinkle in their eye.
“It's never too late to start. I know some professional acrobats who have been working in the industry for 20 years, who started in their early 20s and gave it a red hot go. In circus, there's something for everyone, and the same goes for acrobatics. There’s the big strong bases underneath, the middles that hold the glue together, and the lighter, braver flyers that go up the top. So no matter your body type and skills, there is a role for you in group acrobatics.
“Have a crack and find your niche. There'll be something for you.”
A line that also holds true for spectators at the Adelaide Fringe.
'Ten Thousand Hours' plays The Peacock at Gluttony – Rymill Park 20 February-23 March. 'The Mirror' plays The Octagon at Gluttony – Rymill Park 20 February-23 March (Adelaide Fringe).
