IT’S that time of the year when Canberra’s youth troupe, Warehouse Circus, strut their  stuff on stage at The Street Theatre – covid permitting, that is.

This year the program is themed around the four elements earth, air, fire and water, closely linked to the four seasons, as the young artists show off their acrobatic, aerial feats, juggling skills and their sheer sense of fun.

They’ve even come up with a clever link into Floriade with a four-strong team of jugglers dressed up as garden gnomes – and yes they’re going to perform in Commonwealth Park, too.

I caught up with director Idris Stanbury as the young cast went through their rope and juggling routines on stage at The Street.

“It’s nice to be in production again,” he says.

Stanbury has a long connection with Canberra, having been born here, although in his youth he spent more time in Goulburn getting involved with   the Lieder Theatre, later going on to study circus at the National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne, where he lived for 19 years as a professional performer.

He’s been back in Canberra  for the past five years and is now head of performance at Warehouse Circus.

“I wanted the cast to experience a production as similar to a professional, show as possible, with a focus on each performer working to a chosen solo specialty and a group act if they wanted, allowing them to time to make each piece shine,” he says.

“I’m really happy to offer professional experience to the kids, as they show the best of they’ve got… getting proper technical support on stage makes a big difference from performing in our gym.

“This year we’re looking at the way the elements affect our lives in both positive and negative ways, but it’s not too dark. Just as bushfires allow seeds to germinate, there’s the good with the bad.”

The 80-minute show is quite a production, with 29 artists on stage, and a strong colour in the costumes, and in the choice of pop music from different decades.

“Of course, we have the garden gnomes stitching things together, warming up the audience and casting around  the ‘seeds of acrobatics’,” Stanbury says.

“Elemental,” Warehouse Circus at the Street Theatre until Saturday, October 8.