I spoke to Circa’s Nathan Boyle this week. Nathan will be appearing at the Theatre Royal with Circa. Hobart will round out the group’s present tour before they take a break and start rehearsals again.
Circa as you can deduce from the name is a variation of circus but it is unlike any circus you have ever seen and it seems the world is on the teeterboard (pardon the pun) for this unique creation with Nathan and the crew performing to audiences in Berlin, France, America and Canada among others.
Like Circque de Soleil and Circus Oz it is an animal free circus but that is where the similarity ends. Circa unlike the other two productions doesn’t have the performers play characters.
It is as Nathan says Circus stripped bare, naked and intimate without all the embellishments and some would say distractions of the conventional circus. In effect is an elation of what the body can do hence the title of this article!
Nathan remembers frightening his parents from a young age with his cartwheels and somersaults down the hallway. His parents got the message and sent him off to circus school!
Nathan has the circus in his blood or possibly saltwater as Nathan believes the intoxication with performing may be an inheritance from his grandfather who was in the navy, something of somersaulting seamen! Circus is so often a family business but Nathan is the only one in the present generation that is a peformer. Nathan’s siblings choosing the safer career options of accountant and school teacher.
And indeed like all circuses this one does contain dangerous routines but indulges in ‘safe danger’ which sounds contradictory but essentially means the acts are so well rehearsed and the performers so skilful that everything runs smoothly.
Nathan is looking forward to what will be his first visit to Tasmania and of course visiting what seems to be the greatest attraction with visitors that our state offers, MONA.
Circa will be performing at The Theatre Royal from July 11 to 14.
Paula Xiberras
