“Hoop-la! Hoop-la! The Circus is in town! …. it is the Circus 1903 elephants who steal the hearts and minds of the youngest audience members…. If you have always dreamed of running away with the circus then Sydney is your town”
Fiona Hallenan-Barker
4 bags of popcorn out of 5
Sydney Opera House
21 – 29 December 2023
“Hoop-la! Hoop-la! The Circus is in town! Have you seen the elephant? Have you seen the clown?”
Circus 1903 has it all with a nostalgic twist, currently playing in the big top of the Concert Hall under the big white sails of the Sydney Opera House. After an initial Australian season in 2016 the production has toured worldwide to great acclaim. Developed by the producing team behind the Illusionists this is a blockbuster designed to delight and entertain crowds of all ages, which it does.
The first half of the production works as a prologue, bringing us into the world of the circus by setting up the stage with rail hammers, ropes, boxes and extraordinary acts peppered throughout. Acrobats Oskar Norin, Anton Persson and Karl Wiberg get the gasps started with their teeterboard acts, this is closely followed by more heart stopping moments from Mohammed Ibrahim and Hamza Abdo who perform the Icarian Games. Artistic cycling champion David Schnabel conjures his bike into all sorts of tricks and contortionist Mekdes Kebede redefines what the human body can do.
The nostalgia of the Barnam & Baily Circus is established early by ringmaster Willy Whipsnade (David Williamson) who transports us back in time to 1903 through storytelling, comedy and audience participation. Some of the audience participation is more filler than killer but overall it adds to the charm. Williamson has the perfect combination of whimsy and wonder that we expect from great showmen and talks lovingly about the years of work that go into creating a few death defying minutes on stage for our entertainment.
After a short interval the semi-circle big top is revealed through clever design supported by bold lighting and sound. The daring and dazzling acts continue with trapeze artists Yoann Benhamou and Emiline Goavec. Strongmen Yani Stoyani and Valeri Tsvetkov are also deeply impressive. Juggler Francois Borie wows the crowd and aerialist Elena Suarez Pariente brings the ouch factor. Each act has to be seen to be believed. The thrill comes from the danger and reminds us of the immediacy of theatre even for those on stage with superhuman talents.
But it is the Circus 1903 elephants who steal the hearts and minds of the youngest audience members. African elephant puppets Queenie and her cheeky calf Peanut are delightfully brought to life by UK company Significant Object and a team of puppeteers. Seeing an enormous elephant on the stage of the Concert Hall is majestic and even more wonderful for knowing that no animal was harmed in the process.
If you have always dreamed of running away with the circus then Sydney is your town. The holographic Dream Circus is currently playing at Luna Park, Phare Cambodian Circus are coming for Sydney Festival, the Sydney Spiegletent have Circus The Show playing in January and homegrown heroes the Fruit Fly Circus are performing at Parramatta Riverside this Easter. Save your pennies, it’s going to be a spectacular summer!
Fiona Hallenan-Barker, Theatre Now
