WAREHOUSE Circus’ youth ensemble “Choices & Change” combines circus acts with a political manifesto.
The finale sums up the the theme of the show, juxtaposing acrobatic leaping with a voiceover by Alan Watts: “There is always a curious tie at some point between the fall and the creation.”
The set is spartan, with a few grey mats and a handful of pieces brought on by the performers: chairs, tables and a battered old couch creating the vibe of a “sharehouse” circus.
The show opens with a carefully timed and fast-paced group routine, and ensemble numbers are a recurring theme. The most effective one has most of the performers pretending to be asleep, but the slightest nudge from two pranksters flipping them into amazing somnambulant tumbles and contortions.
The student performers tackle circus staples such as silks, juggling, tumbling and acrobatics with adroit skill, the simplicity of the routines offset by the frisson that comes from the troupe’s striking youth.
After an engaging opening the show gets bogged down in over-earnest commentary on totalitarianism and conformity. Director Ben Vickers deserves commendation for giving his young performers an authentic political voice, but the dramatic sequences are not as striking or confident as the ones where the ideas are conveyed through circus acts.
However, the charm of the show was heightened by a family atmosphere in an intimate venue, with the constant giggles and gasps from very young children helping the audience see the stunts and clowning with fresh eyes.
The show rallied at the end for an energetic but brief finale, with bold, assisted leaping emphasising the theme of the show: that you need to be aware of others in society, and if you have the confidence to fall, your friends can lift you up.
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