Seeing my third – and completely different and unique – Circa show has been a wonderful lesson in just how versatile they are. I’ve seen them surreal and mysterious in a very intimate venue, and I’ve seen them colourful and family-friendly in a big huge open space. Seeing Humans in the Playhouse Theatre at Queensland Performing Arts Centre has been an absolute treat. It’s not big enough to lose the definition of the bodies as they show their skills, but it’s big enough to be a visual homage deserved by what you’re about to see. 

The first impression alongside the opening music is that we’re seeing the body as beautiful music – or are we hearing the music as a beautiful body? Either way, Humans’ prelude presents as being created by the casts’ bodies, rather than an orchestra. The impressive effect is that the human body is capable of more than we give it credit for, and I start to imagine that I’m going to see it portrayed as many inhuman things during this show. 

I was quickly corrected of this, however – whilst the next 65 minutes does certainly prove that the body is capable of more than we give it credit for, Humans is seemingly speaking to us of Psychology and Sociology. We observe a species that at times moves alone, at times with others. When we’re with others, are we working together, or in opposition? Regularly we just while away time in each other’s company – sometimes to our benefit, sometimes to our detriment. Joy, friendship, excitement, curiosity, experimentation, support, violence, love, control, generosity and solidarity are all played out on stage. As well as intimacy and vulnerability, which is met with faith and trust - in a way that I’ve only ever seen circus be able to manage.

I’ve always thought of Choreographers in terms of making up ‘dances’. But after Humans, I have a whole new appreciation for them as visionaries. To watch the overall effect on stage as individuals and ensembles perform seemingly disconnected pieces, was to watch something that became bigger than the sum of its parts. It was always impressive, at times dark, and surprisingly funny. It turns out that seeing three Circa shows isn’t quite enough – they have a new story to tell me each time, and I’m looking forward to the next one!

 

By Tanya Green