CIRCUS FINDS RHYTHM
This is circus, but circus that has most definitely found its rhythm, the ensemble are a diverse crew and each are strong performers that bring their A game and with subtly their own personal reflections are woven into this rich work. Aside from being an exciting piece of performance bought to us from the fringe, it is also successful in holding up a magnifying glass to the kind of binaries we are placed within or outside of, by society. Spectrum is a mix of standalone scenes, each showcasing a succession of varying skill sets as circus tends to do. These however are interspersed with both blistering and comical dance and live music sequences.
But perhaps what helps define Spectrum the most, is not its lens being solely focused on the subject matter at hand, but, more so, that it also holds a mirror up to circus as an art form. Here we experience arial, acrobatics and hoop, but presented in a way that brings novelty back to this style of performance.
With a backing score as contemporary as anything else in this work, including the likes of ABRA, Tinashe and the Miami Sound Machine, the work is a successful mashup. Surpassing jarring and messiness, the vignettes are easy to follow from the outset: they elope and overlap, the threads are there for a rich tapestry to emerge woven. The work is fresh, young and is of this generation. It features moments that give to the audience sheer brilliance, humor and spectacle. This is perhaps not the most polished work, but its genuine approach is endearing.
Minor criticisms can be afforded to a brief drop in pace felt at the mid point of this performance. However, this is only a momentary detraction as the pace then begins to build to a crescendo and climax, which, like the majority of this work, features a sublime visual, one which lingers in the mind long after the curtain falls.
Melbourne is, and has long been, a playground for creatives: within our local industries are opportunities for ever emerging new crops of talent to reveal themselves. The crew behind Spectrum through this performance have proven their names be ones to watch out for in the future.
