Duck Pond (Circa)
QPAC, Playhouse
July 5 – 8
One of the most amazing things about the world premiere of Circa’s “Duck Pond”, comes during the curtain call and realisation that there are ‘only’ 10 performers in its cast. So non-stop is the energy of the fast-paced and fluid new show from the acclaimed Circa Contemporary Circus, that it seems like surely it must involve a grander number.
The acrobatically spectacular is certainly an impressive undertaking as the work, created by the visionary Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa ensemble, to reimage “Swan Lake” as a thrilling circus epic. Told as a mash-up of the mythical stories of “The Ugly Duckling” and “Swan Lake”, its story is conveyed across three distinct acts, joined together in a 70 minute (no interval) performance.
Things begin strikingly in silhouette which widens out to the Prologue’s palace festivities as Fairy Swan-Mother (Georgia Webb), sets out to find the royal heir a bride. There is a playful whimsy to things from here as, after a brief fall-in-love encounter that sees the Prince (Zachery Stephens) fall in love with an Ugly Duckling (Sophie Seccombe), the humble duck is ultimately left to be consoled by a clowning Duck Army, complete with yellow flippers, waders and accompanying mops, one of which then serves as a limbo pole and horizontal bar for gymnastic moves.
All of the now-hallmarks of a Circa performance are evident throughout “Duck Pond”, including playing with traditional gendered partnering and boundary-pushing the physicality of its ensemble. For example, when a seductive burlesque Black Swan (Kimberley Rossi) enters to captivate the Prince, she puts her stamp on things, almost literally, as, in sheer one-piece and the spikiest of stiletto heels, she walks on top of an also sheerly-attired male, in a clear provocation of power that, although impressive, is little jarring with the rest of the show’s sensibility.
While enteral love eventuates, in keeping with the romance of the source material, it is however, not necessarily as perhaps expected, in line with Circa’s also trademark subversion of not just art form expectations, but every part of the experience of its shows. This is seen too in its false finish of sorts, as we are abruptly taken from The Lake represented in its glossy floor space to The Theatre, only to have it stripped down and opened up Brechtian style, devoid of staging and costumes. And just as things opened to the Ugly Duckling being first introduced against feather fans, there is a red-lit burlesque feel to the final act as performers shape themselves in individual booths that are moved about and switched between, in front of our eyes.
Staging is a spectacular amalgam of aesthetic elements. With a ribboned curtain occupying three sides of the stage, entrances and exits occur frequently and from all locations, adding to the pacy energy of the experience of its continuous display. Alexander Berlage’s lighting design and Jethro Woodward’s wonderfully-rich and evocative musical composition and sound design, work well together to provide many stunning moments, such as when the two swans and Prince stand in an all-encompassing sparkle in transition into the marvels of Act Two. And Libby McDonnell’s haute couture costume design works well to add to characterisation and layer the work’s themes, but is also interesting in and of itself.
“Duck Pond” is a work that showcases the strength, power, courage, stamina, and grace of the Circa ensemble. Act Two’s lake scene, when the Ugly Duckling discovers she is in fact a swan, thus becoming the White Swan and then taking flight, is when the contemporary circus tricks are seen in tumbles, handstands, balances, backflips, spins and catches.
The strength and skill of performers is evident throughout the show, as they pyramid atop each other or, for example, balance four other performers upon their shoulders. There are aerial silk spins to the floor, neck hangs, a cyr wheel routine and even catapult from a human pyramid. There are also so lovely more dance-themed duets of love (with elegant choreography from Rani Luther), befitting the romantic ballet at the core of its inspiration.
This is a highly inventive and high-quality theatrical experience that comes with some lovely central messaging around identity and finding your true self. It is at-once boldly dramatic in its chaos and also charmingly magical in its whimsy. The enchantment of “Swan Lake” intertwined with the thrill of the circus means that it operates on multiple levels, catering for those who enjoy the excitement of a cheeky pillow fight alongside those who know their Tchaikovsky. Indeed, its specific generation to resonate across all ages means that its genres all operate as ways into each other for those, particularly younger, mesmerised, audience members who may be new to their worlds.
Photos – c/o Pia Johnson
Blue Curtains Brisbane 