Circa Annual Report 2022

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

A LWAY S WA S

Circa is based in Meanjin (Brisbane) on the lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many lands on which we create and perform.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

A LWAY S W I L L B E

Cover - Photo by Ian Georgeson.

On by Circa - Photo by Pia Johnson.

T h e r e ’s s o m e t h i n g a l m o s t comfor ting about walking i n t o a C i r c a s h o w. K n o w i n g , without a shadow of a doubt, t h a t yo u ’ l l b e m e t w i t h h i g h quality circus that sets yo u r p u l se rac i ng a n d yo u r so u l s t i r r i ng .

THE SCOTSMAN, SCOTLAND

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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2022

in numbers 4 WORLD PREMIERES

241 LIVE PERFORMANCES

1 3 9 I N T E R N AT I O N A L PERFORMANCES

97 AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCES (32 IN QLD)

104,784 AUDIENCE MEMBERS WORLDWIDE

6 1 AC RO BATS & 17 C R E AT I V E C O L L A B O R ATO R S

223 TOURING WORKSHOPS

1620 HOURS OF WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

TOURED TO 15 COUNTRIES OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA 3

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

TOURED TO 43 COUNTRIES SINCE 2006

6 8 2 H O U R S O F F R E E S PAC E FOR ARTISTS

32 ,0 02 FAC E BO O K FO L LOW E RS

2 3 . 2 K I N STAG R A M F O L LO W E R S

2,548 TWITTER FOLLOWERS

1 9 K V I M E O P L AY S

4 0 D AY S , 7 H O U R S , 1 8 M I N U T E S & 0 SECONDS

O F F O OTAG E WATC H E D O N C I R CA’ S V I M E O C H A N N E L

1,576 WEBSITE SESSIONS

1,329 WEBSITE USERS

3 ,5 1 4 W E B S I T E PAG E V I E WS 44.82% AUSTRALIAN 5 5 . 1 8% I N T E R N AT I O N A L 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Photo by Robert Torres.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

why 2022?

Every year we write an Annual Report and begins with a message.

Looking back at these, many of these are roughly the same: the world is complex, the challenges are real and increasing, the team is amazing and performs at a herculean pitch daily, the work is authentic and vigorous and the future is uncertain but promises brightness.

Nothing much changed in 2022. We continued and resumed touring, we premiered two works of great power and originality, our team delivered astonishing results in chastened and sometimes downright inhospitable circumstances.

So why? Why “has nothing much changed?” Why after the profound disruptions of the past few years and the much greater ones our warming planet and complex civilisation pose for the future, are we still on the same course?

And there are three answers, all connected and all partial, works-in-progress.

First, many game-changing things are already underway: more sustainable, long-form touring with limited flights, long residencies and increased engagement, a First Nation-led permanent, professional ensemble in Regional Queensland, an extensive program for people who identify as having a disability, shows that are lighter, more energy-efficient and tour with a fraction of conventional touring companies are all current.

Second, we have much to do and we started many of these in 2022: the Circa Academy was launched to reenergise our engagement programs and connect them to our core artistic repertoire; new ensemble members, new executive staff, new productions and new programs seek to build more vibrant sector and world.

And finally we are, as a Company, relentless in our pursuit of what is to come. We have plenty more work to do - on our art, our audiences, our engagement, sustainability, diversity and impact. Over the coming years we will continue to strive to redefine the limits of what is possible in circus. 2022 was an important step on this path.

In short, 2022 looks, in wide-shot, a bit like every other year, because each and every Circa year is filled with a passionate belief that we can be better, ask harder questions, take things further (as well as higher, faster and more connected).

We thank the Board, Circa staff, funding agencies, supporters, presenters and stakeholders.

Together you have helped us create the same thing - an astonishing, shape-shifting, responsive and dynamic company, one that never stops asking “why?”, one well-positioned to help create the future.

YA RO N L I FSC H I TZ

M I C H A E L LY N C H AO C B E

S H AU N C O M E RFO RD

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO

CHAIR

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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Photo by Pia Johnson.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

why create?

At the heart of Circa is the creation of new works; each of which asks what is possible in circus? For every new creation, we seek a compelling rationale.

2022 featured two major new creations. Italian Baroque was lush, opulent and decadent. A Fellini-inspired golden-hued celebration of the glamour and art, it was unapologetically baroque. A salve to the grimness of the previous disrupted years.

On by Circa follows eight characters in search of contact and connection. It dives deeply into how abstract acrobatic languages can express human relationships.

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ON BY CIRCA …a stylish, flawlessly executed physical essay on the human need for connection

…the ensemble’s extraordinary strength, flexibility, timing, co-ordination and trust in one another thrills and delights

THE AGE

LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE

Over the past two decades, Circa has forged a reputation as the most artistically audacious circus on the planet. With productions ranging from large scale operas and vast choreographic spectacles through site specific adventures and intimate chamber works, the breadth of its vision is unparalleled.

For the Company’s new show, On by Circa, Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz explores the gift of weight that lies at the heart of acrobatics. The simple act of giving and accepting another’s mass is transformed into a profound meditation about beauty, loss and trust.

To achieve this alchemy, the stage elements are reduced to their most essential: seven extraordinary acrobats, a score by Melbourne composer Jethro Woodward and a striking lighting design by Paul Jackson. Layering complex acrobatic sequences with sharp moments of close up intimacy, the ensemble creates a stripped back circus of the heart that’s uncompromisingly bold and unashamedly athletic.

On By Circa is circus at its contemporary best – as thrilling as it is moving.

P E R F O R M E D AT 7- 8 April 2022 Melbourne, Australia Alexander Theatre, Monash University Performing Arts Centres 13 - 14 April 2022 Darwin, Australia The Playhouse, Darwin Entertainment Centre 7 May 2022 Wyong, Australia The Art House Theatre 12 May 2022 Geelong, Australia Costa Hall, Geelong Arts Centre 12 August 2022 Adelaide, Australia Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre 28 October 2022 Cairns, Australia CPAC Theatre

A Monash University commission.

4 November 2022 Toowoomba, Australia Empire Theatre

WORLD PREMIERE Performances Audience

9

14 6,710

23 - 26 November 2022 Brisbane, Australia Playhouse, QPAC

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Pia Johnson 2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

I TA L I A N BAROQUE A must-see combination of vibrant music and deathdefying acrobatics!

ABC CLASSICS, AUS (On Spanish Baroque with Circa)

Florence, Naples, Venice and Rome. Four remarkable cities, each with its own proud people, distinctive histories and architecture. In its fourth collaboration with the internationally acclaimed contemporary circus company, Circa, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra will take you on a rollicking ride through Italy’s multilayered past. Paul Dyer’s kaleidoscopic pasticcio will be fuelled by the vivacious Brandenburg period instrumentalists and Circa’s energetic acrobats.

The crumbling columns of the Roman Forum and Dante’s flourishing Florence will emerge in a daring new choreography from circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, weaving the music of Vivaldi, Falconieri, Caccini and Corelli into a sensual, surprising and passionate experience, a show that dances to its own unique tune.

P E R F O R M E D AT 19 - 27 January 2022 Sydney, Australia City Recital Hall

WORLD PREMIERE

Photo by Keith Saunders

Performances: 8 Audience: 6,345

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Photo by The Other Richard.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

why tour?

Touring is a privilege extended to exceptional creations that can find resonance with audiences near and far.

It can be a challenging activity – in circus especially. Balancing bodies, logistics, finances, and opportunities requires both calculus and creativity.

But the rewards are enormous. Performing in great venues and festivals, connecting with audience members across cultures and participating in the great, epochal conversation that is human culture.

In 2022 we toured around Australia, to Europe, the US and the UK. The following pages provide the statistics. What they don’t convey is the herculean efforts of our teams to deliver great show after great show nor can they describe the electricity that flows between stage and auditorium or the elation of the final moments as the lights fade and the audience leap to their feet.

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Photo by Prudence Upton

SHAUN THE SHEEP …plenty of physical comedy, a slick blend of cute animation and live performance, and of course the stylish acrobatics for which Circa is rightly in demand worldwide.

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, AUS

Two worlds gleefully collide when the internationallyacclaimed Australian circus ensemble Circa and Academy Award®-winning studio Aardman, bring Shaun the Sheep to the stage.

Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is must-see family entertainment full of heart-warming comedy delights.

Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show combines the extreme physicality and awe-inspiring feats of Circa and the playful charm of the multi-award-winning TV series Shaun the Sheep.

By special arrangement with Aardman Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show

The entire family will be treated to a visual spectacle, packed full of Aardman’s signature wit and outright hilarity, as the Circa ensemble continues to blur the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus.

Shaun and the flock will entertain the audience through incredible feats of daredevil acrobatics and vibrant circus skills.

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Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is Produced by Shaun Comerford and Yaron Lifschitz with QPAC, Screen Queensland, Merrigong Theatre Company and Circa Contemporary Circus Created by Yaron Lifschitz Based on the Television Series “Shaun the Sheep” devised by Richard Starzak Based on an original idea by Nick Park

P E R F O R M E D AT 5 - 9 January 2022 Melbourne, Australia Arts Centre Melbourne - Sidney Myer Music Bowl Performances Audience

3 2,502

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Leslie Martin

Photo by Yann Merran

MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES Under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz and in collaboration with Opéra de Lyon, 11 Circa acrobats, two dancers, two soloists, tango musicians and a string orchestra reimagine the opera Maria de Buenos Aires in a fiery ode to the fatal beauty of tango and its hometown.

Created in 1968 by the undisputed master of tango and bandoneon, Astor Piazzolla, Maria de Buenos Aires is a unique opera-tango that follows the story of Maria, a singer who, after a tragic end in a brothel, becomes a shadow condemned to drift in the lowlands of Buenos Aires. It is a story of curse and redemption, wandering and liberation, brave defiance to death and a hymn to love.

HUMANS 2.0 A symphony of acrobatics, sound and light, this is next level circus by Circa.

Ten bodies appear in a flash of light. They move in harmony for a fleeting moment and then descend into a sinuous trance. Towers grow and decay, bodies leap and are caught, as physical limits are pushed to their extreme. Can we ever find a perfect balance or is adapting to constant change the only way forward?

This next chapter of Circa’s internationally acclaimed Humans is a tightly woven choreography of bodies, pulsing with music by composer Ori Lichtik and revealed in Paul Jackson’s dramatic lighting. Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, Humans 2.0 is intimate, primal and deeply engaged with the challenge of being human.

Commissioned by The Mondavi Center, UC Davis.

P E R F O R M E D AT

Circa’s adaptation explores the friction between the harshness of the world and the human soul’s thirst for the absolute in this “dream of tango and the tango of a dream.”

28 January 2022 Davis, USA Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

P E R F O R M E D AT

17 February 2022 Fairfield, USA Quick Center for the Arts, Fairfield University

15 - 23 January 2022 Lyon Lyon Opera

11 - 12 March 2022 Philadelphia, USA Annenberg Center, Penn Live Arts

Performances Audience

6 6,397

22 - 23 April 2022 Gothenburg, Sweden Stora Teatern 17 May 2022 Villejuif, France Théâtre Romain Rolland 5 - 27 August 2022 Edinburgh, Scotland Underbelly’s Circus Hub, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Performances Audience

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28 15,210

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P E R F O R M E D AT

SACRE

24 - 28 May 2022 Brighton, UK Theatre Royal Brighton

30 January 2022 Boulder, USA Macky Auditorium Concert Hall 2 - 3 February 2022 Irvine, USA Irvine Barclay Theatre

…will mesmerize you from the very beginning.

BROADWAY WORLD, USA

…consistently fascinating choreography…

MARLER ZEITUNG, GERMANY

Poetic tenderness. Raw emotion. Physical strength.

Ten acrobats from the Circa ensemble bring Stravinsky’s seminal The Rite of Spring to the circus stage. Pulsating with tension and infused with dark humour, this distinctive production from Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz confronts humanity’s inter-connectivity, our inherent sexual desire and relationship with divinity.

Featuring a piercing lighting design by Veronique Benett and a stirring new composition by Phillippe Bachman for the first half, Sacre penetrates the senses and stirs the soul.

15 - 16 June 2022 Den Haag, Netherlands Amare, Den Haag Danstheater 2 - 3 July 2022 Sibiu, Romania Lulu Hall, Sibiu International Theatre Festival

4 - 5 February 2022 Santa Monica, USA The Broad Stage 10 - 11 February 2022 Arizona, USA Centennial Hall, Arizona Arts Live 15 February 2022 Lewisburg, USA The Weiss Center, Bucknell University

12 - 13 July 2022 Gran Canaria, Canary Islands Centro Insular de deportes de Grand Canaria 15 - 16 July 2022 Tenerife, Canary Islands Teatro Guimerá

2 September 2022 22 February 2022 Groningen, Netherlands Storrs, USA Jorgensen Center for the Arts SPOT Groningen 3 - 4 March 2022 Fayetteville, AR, USA Walton Arts Center

7 - 9 September 2022 Dusseldorf, Germany Festival Marquee, Burgplatz

5 March 2022 Overland Park, USA Yardley Hall, Midwest Trust Center

5 October 2022 Modesto, USA Gallo Center for the Arts

14 April 2022 Brugge, Belgium Cultuurcentrum Brugge

9 October 2022 Sonoma, USA Weill Hall, Sonoma State University

Commissioned by Merrigong Theatre Company.

12 October 2022 Santa Barbara, USA Campbell Hall, UC Santa Barbara

17 April 2022 Budapest, Hungary Müpa Budapest 3 - 4 May 2022 Chalons-en-Champagne, France La Comète 20 May 2022 Mamer, Luxembourg Kinneksbond, Center Culturel Mamer

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21 October 2022 Illinois, USA Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Performances 34 Audience 13,486 + 150

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

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Photo by Pedro Greig.

Photo by Andy Phillipson.

PEEPSHOW ... an exciting fusion of circus and cabaret ...

Peepshow makes the seemingly impossible, possible.

THEATRE WEEKLY, UK

Circa’s Peepshow turns cabaret on its head, literally. Join Circa as they embark on a seductive dance through the hall of mirrors that is your imagination, Circa’s Peepshow lurches from the thrillingly acrobatic to the comically playful. Expect teetering towers of balanced bodies, extreme bending and devilishly precarious aerials.

Circa’s Peepshow combines some of the finest acrobatic talent on the planet under the direction of circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz to create a playfully exhilarating ride into the beautifully bizarre recesses of your mind.

Come to Circa’s Peepshow and see the world from the other side of the mirror.

P E R F O R M E D AT 9 - 12 March 2022 Wollongong, Australia Spiegeltent Wollongong, Merrigong Theatre Company

17 June 2022 Launceston, Australia Princess Theatre, Theatre North

20 - 23 April 2022 Sydney, Australia Theatre Royal Sydney

22 - 24 June 2022 Hobart, Australia Theatre Royal Main Stage

14 May 2022 Frankston, Australia Frankston Arts Centre

26 August 2 September 2022 Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia The Wonderland Spiegeltent, Horizon Festival

21 May 2022 Healesville, Australia The Memo 27 - 28 May 2022 Bendigo, Australia Ulumbarra Theatre

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Performances Audience

25 6,835

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Justin Nicolas.

C A R N I VA L O F THE ANIMALS Is there a more joyous sound than a roomful of children laughing and squealing with delight?

INDAILY, AUS

The Circa Carnival comes to town with whimsical tales of creatures of land and sea, who tumble, fly, leap and spin their way through the many wondrous worlds of the animal kingdom.

Our zebras juggle and flip. Our kangaroos skip and somersault. We’ve elephants with street-cred and rhythm. And even our dinosaur bones shake, clatter and roll to the music.

Carnival of the Animals whisks you away on a thrilling circus escapade inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns delightful salute to feathers, fur and fins. Circa’s acrobats bring this classical music suite to life for a whole new generation of circus, music and animal lovers.

P E R F O R M E D AT 14 - 17 April 2022 Singapore Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands 29 - 2 June 2022 Brisbane, Australia Playhouse, QPAC 5 - 28 August 2022 Edinburgh, Scotland House of Oz, Edinburgh Fringe Festival Performances Audience

37 15,992

A production by Circa and QPAC’s Out of the Box Festival.

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Photo by Pedro Greig.

HUMANS Ten acrobats from award-winning contemporary circus ensemble Circa take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human and of how our bodies, our connections and our aspirations all form part of who we are.

Exploring the physical limits of their bodies as they are pushed to the extreme they question how much we can take as humans. How much weight can we carry? Who can we trust to support our load? They lead us to reflect on our lives, our loved ones, the burdens we carry and the physical and emotional strength it takes to overcome them.

Created by Yaron Lifschitz, the stage is stripped bare as the vulnerability of a team of highly skilled acrobats is exposed. With incredible strength and integrity they connect each moment seamlessly with the next in a thrilling and heart-stopping performance. Glimpse their humanity as they find redemptive power in strength and celebrate what it means to be fiercely human.

Commissioned by MA scène nationale – Pays de Montbéliard.

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This might well be the company’s best work yet.

THE STAGE

P E R F O R M E D AT 19 April 2022 Colombes, France l’Avant Seine / Théâtre de Colombes 6 - 7 May 2022 Caluire-et-Cuire, France Radiant-Bellevue 10 May 2022 Rueil-Malmaison, France André Malraux Theater 11 May 2022 Cachan, France Théâtre Jacques Carat 13 May 2022 Béziers, France Zinga Zanga Béziers

3 - 4 June 2022 Trutnov, Czech Republic UFFO, Cirk-UFF 22 - 25 June 2022 Lustenau, Austria Freudenhaus 7 July 2022 Lanzarote, Canary Islands Teatro Victor Fernández Gopar (El Salinero) 10 July 2022 Fuerteventura, Canary Islands Auditorio Insular de Fuerteventura Performances 15 Audience 4,667

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Dylan Evans.

WOLFGANG Straight from the score and onto the stage, the man known as Mozart appears amid a storm of powder, tumbling and twirling, as musical mayhem and movement fuse in this family show with a circus twist.

To those who know him, he is Wolfgang, the dartplaying, pun-loving ratbag. To those who are watching and listening, he is the wigged genius Mozart. Come and discover his irrepressible spirit and vibrant compositions through physical comedy and mischievous antics.

Designed to amaze people from the age of three and upwards, Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus reinvents the composer’s magical music in a skilful and illuminating show featuring Circa’s dexterous daredevil artists and an accordionist. Watch as the notes are physically lifted off the page as performers bring the renowned compositions to life amidst a storm of powder, tumbles and crashes, all under the eccentric swirl of the conductor’s baton.

Commissioned by The Art House Wyong.

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For circus thrills with a classy, classical touch, ‘Wolfgang’ hits the right notes THREE WEEKS EDINBURGH, UK

P E R F O R M E D AT 20 - 24 April 2022 Sydney, Australia Theatre Royal Sydney 22 June 2022 Shepparton, Australia Riverlinks Eastbank 25 June 2022 Nunawading, Australia Box Hill Town Hall 27 - 27 June 2022 Frankston, Australia Frankston Arts Centre 29 June 2022 Bendigo, Australia Ulumbarra Theatre

8 July 2022 Goulburn, Australia Goulburn Performing Arts Centre 13 - 1h July 2022 Sydney, Australia ARA Darling Quarter Theatre 20 - 22 July 2022 Wyong, Australia The Art House Wyong 24 July 2022 Newcastle, Australia Civic Theatre Newcastle Performances Audience

32 8,867

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Photo by Andy Phillipson.

Photo by Laura Manatiri.

BEETHOVEN 9

W H AT W I L L H AV E B E E N

With Beethoven 9, Circa enters another level.

With What Will Have Been, Circa proves that circus can combine technicality with elegant simplicity to achieve a rare poetic and moving quality.

MERKER ONLINE, AUSTRIA

LA TERRASSE. FRANCE

Circa dares to create a physical score for the towering masterpiece of the symphonic repertoire – Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.

In this first-time collaboration between the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Circa, ten world-class circus artists under the direction of Yaron Lifschitz will present Beethoven’s music in its physical form – with emotionally-charged choreography intricately woven to reflect the score. Extreme skill and dramatic acrobatics play out in this grand celebration of humanity, where the lines between movement, music, dance and theatrics are blurred and boundaries are pushed.

Beethoven 9 with Circa was commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday in 2020.

Three artists stretch the boundaries of contemporary circus in this intimate and deeply moving new production by Brisbane-based contemporary circus company Circa.

Hauntingly beautiful and truly virtuosic What Will Have Been is a sublime display of interlocking bodies, awe-inspiring movement and pure physical beauty.

Circa’s intrepid artists will challenge your perceptions of what is possible within the human body and draw you deep into a world of physical daring.

Accompanied on stage by a live violinist and fusing together the music of Bach and spine-tingling electronica, this explosive new production is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and have you on the edge of your seat.

A Norfolk and Norwich Festival and La Teatreria (Mexico) commission.

P E R F O R M E D AT

P E R F O R M E D AT

10th - 11th June 2022 St. Pölten, Austria Festspielhaus St. Pölten

18 June - 2 July 2022 Stockholm, Sweden Parkteatern, Kulturhuset Stadsteatern

Performances Audience

2 1,725

7 - 30 July 2022 Avignon, France Théâtre des Lucioles Performances Audience

23

25 11,871

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Johannes Reinhart.

L E V I AT H A N Leviathan asks not only its performers to dare to do what has never been done, but all of us as a community.

STANFORDLIVE, USA

Circa’s internationally-renowned ensemble joins with a local cast of circus performers, dancers and young people.

local with the global and the emerging with the visionary and genuinely pushes boundaries in a powerful circus production.

The art of circus is taken in an exciting new direction as 36 performers hang from a grid suspended in the air and propel themselves across the stage, tumbling, balancing and soaring together. The dramatic power and extreme skill of Circa’s trademark acrobatics thrillingly expose the tension between the mass and the individual in this epic theatrical event that is at once deeply moving and physically stunning.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative, managed by the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc, Brisbane Festival, Perth Festival, La Strada Graz Festival and Stanford Live.

In these complex times, Leviathan offers hope by celebrating what can be achieved when we work together. This action-packed show connects the

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

P E R F O R M E D AT 30 September - 1 October 2022 California, USA Stanford Memorial Auditorium Performances Audience

2 2,872

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25

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Christina Bevilacquia.

Circa Cairns In July 2022, Circa established Circa Cairns in response to our commitment to elevate First Nations voices and stories. Based in Regional Far North Queensland, Circa Cairns is one of few First Nations-led professional circus ensembles, committed to creating great art from the nexus of culture and place. Fuelled by the values to thrill, challenge and connect and led by proud Wakka Wakka man, Harley Mann, the company tells urgent First Nations stories that are created with community on country.

In its first 6 months, Circa Cairns established an Ensemble which included three First Nations artists who spent significant time visiting eight FNQ communities, yarning and developing work. This community engagement culminated in the company’s critically acclaimed premiere production From Old Things.

Circa Cairns is based in Gimuy (Cairns) on the lands of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people.

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Photo by Colyn Huber.

A CA BA RET SO M E W H E RE H OT A N D STI C K Y A Cabaret Somewhere Hot and Sticky is a saucy mix of cabaret and acrobatics, capturing a spectrum of moments between bodies moving and connecting on land and through the air. A steamy mix of cabaret and acrobatics and a non-stop evening of entertainment.

Featuring breathtaking circus alongside blak humour, Circa Cairns created a thrilling night out up North. Like feet sticking to a nightclub floor Circa Cairns captures the moment of tension between bodies moving in space and a deep connection to earth and place.

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P E R F O R M E D AT 13 August 2022 Cairns, Australia Bulmba-Ja Arts Centre

WORLD PREMIERE Performances Audience

1 89

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Justin Ma.

FROM OLD THINGS Circa Cairns does more than spark a newly devised work – From Old Things is a flare bursting with heat.

Conceived and directed by Circa Cairns Creative Lead Harley Mann (Wakka Wakka) featuring members of the Circa Cairns ensemble, with sound design by Luke Briscoe, From Old Things is utterly fresh and powerfully urgent circus theatre.

ARTS HUB

From Old Things is a dramatic encounter between the world’s oldest living culture and Australia’s newest circus company.

The first creation from Circa Cairns stares directly into the heart of tradition – is the past a fire that lights our way and warms our hearts or is it a pile of ashes that holds us back from new futures?

On a striking set featuring a burnt tree, the Circa Cairns ensemble explore dynamics ranging from rebellion to respect in a series of touching acrobatic encounters shot through with moments of humour, playfulness and connection.

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

In 2022 Circa Cairns was established by Circa as a First Nations-led, Cairns-based contemporary circus ensemble dedicated to creating great circus experiences from the nexus of place and culture.

P E R F O R M E D AT 2- 5 November 2022 Cairns, Australia Bulmba-Ja Arts Centre

WORLD PREMIERE Performances Audience

4 417

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Photo by David Kelly.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

why engage?

We at Circa recognise our privilege and with it the opportunity and responsibility to create a more inclusive, accessible and equitable world.

In 2022, we remained committed to this mission by offering a diverse range of public classes, workshops, and community performance projects to participants across Queensland and beyond. Our programs are designed to promote access and inclusion, providing pathways for participation in circus that start as early as age two with Circa’s Storytime program, which we established in partnership with Brisbane Powerhouse and the State Library of Queensland as part of their First Five Forever initiative.

In 2022, we continued our partnerships with schools with lower socio-economic status, offering ongoing, weekly circus workshops that expanded beyond circus skills to include improvisation, stagecraft tools, and performance creation. We also deepened our partnership with Yeronga State High School, where we joined its inaugural Arts Academy program, and expanded our partnership with Hymba Yumba Independent School, including the school’s LEAP program of extra-curricular activities.

Our engagement program culminated in a performance by Circa Zoo at the inaugural Arts Magic festival presented by the Springfield City Group, alongside other Brisbane arts organizations.

We undertook a review of our engagement programs and implemented rebranding them as Circa Academy. New programs will be rolled out from January 2023.

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Photo by Jess Connell.

DANGER CLUB Safe things are boring. Danger is fun. And that’s the specialty of circus – the art of danger. With Circa’s Danger Club, take a leap of faith – it’s all about to change.

A group of young people from your community has been gathering in a secret location, seeking the thrill of danger. They’ve been creating in a room with artists from Circa Contemporary Circus – people who live danger every day.

P E R F O R M E D AT 4 - 8 July 2022 Frankston, Australia Cube 37, Frankston Arts Centre Performances Audience

1 60

Together they’ve been exploring the very idea of danger and will use it to inspire and challenge you in unexpected, exciting, and amusing ways, when you are granted entry to the Danger Club.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photos by Claire Holland.

Photo by Olivia Williams.

PASS

BY CIRCA ZOO

HELD S PAC E

Pass will take you on a surreal journey with hula hoops, spinning plates and jaw-dropping acrobatics that will open your heart and make your head spin! Combining joyous tumbling and sublime aerials, Pass is daring and sometimes silly and is sure to make you dizzy.

Messy and exhilarating. Vulnerable yet confident.

A teenage brain is a complex melting pot of emotions, hormones and defiance.

Created by Mannie Kaydos-Nitis and Alex Mizzen

Held Space explores what it means to slip in and out of new skins, trying on different personalities for size while attempting to discover who they are.

Performed by the Circa Zoo Ensemble

Join Circa Zoo as they test the physical and emotional boundaries of teenage life.

P E R F O R M E D AT

P E R F O R M E D AT

14 October 2022 Springfield Robelle Domain

1 - 3 December 2022 Brisbane Judith Wright Centre

Performances Audience

1 205

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Performances Audience

4 205

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CIRCABILITY

Photo by David Kelly.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Circability is Circa’s social circus program that provides inclusive circus workshops for people of all ages and abilities.

The program was launched in 2022 with the goal of promoting social inclusion and breaking down barriers through the art of circus. Circability offers a range of programs, all of which are designed to promote physical fitness, social connection, and personal growth. Circability’s philosophy centers on the idea that everyone should have access to the benefits of circus, regardless of their background or abilities. By creating an inclusive and supportive environment, they empower participants to develop new skills, build confidence, and form meaningful connections with others.

Photo by David Kelly.

CIRCA CLASSES

Circa Classes is the training and education arm of Circa. Classes run Monday - Saturday across the Circa studios at the Brisbane Powerhouse Stores and the Judith Wright Arts Centre. Aerials to acro, handstands and tumble, Circa Classes supports the community to learn circus skills, get fit and foster their creativity - all in a safe environment with qualified trainers.

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WORKSHOPS Workshops & Classes Attendees Circase Audience

1,238 7,073 210

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

SCHOOLS & COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS

Photo by Robert Torres.

IN-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS

Circa’s workshops aim to maximise student’s potential, developing physical skills whilst increasing capacity for creativity and collaborative learning. Led by Circa Trainers, students are encouraged to explore, create and challenge themselves in a fun, safe and supportive learning environment.

Circa’s workshops are fun and challenging and provide students with tools that help them to achieve both personal and curriculum goals including: • • • • • • •

Links to Australian Curriculum General Capabilities – Personal and Social Capabilities and Critical and Creative Thinking Improve physical fitness, coordination, strength, balance Create, develop and communicate ideas and concepts Encourage safe risk taking, persistence and resilience Increase self confidence Develop teamwork, cooperation and collaborative learning skills Develop creative problem-solving skills

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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2022

financials $ 7. 7 M $2.7M $3.7M 18.6% $1.52M 36% 1 9. 4%

TURNOVER

(GROSS INCOME)

INCOME FROM PERFORMANCES

I N V E S T M E N T I N WAG E S

(FOR ARTISTS AND ARTS WORKERS)

C O R E O P E R AT I O N A L FUNDING

(% OF TURNOVER)

INCOME FROM I N T E R N AT I O N A L S O U RC ES

(EXPORT INCOME)

INCREASE IN EXPORT INCOME

(FROM 2021 TO 2022)

RESERVES

(% OF TURNOVER)

FIGURES FROM 2022 AUDITED ACCOUNTS 35

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

2021 $9M $8M $7M

$4M $3M

$ 9,018, 7 72

$5M

$ 8, 319,401

$6M

$2M $1M INCOME

EXPENDITURE

2022 $9M $8M $7M

$4M $3M $2M

$7,25 6,942

$5M

$7, 720,984

$6M

INCOME

EXPENDITURE

$1M

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

36

our

supporters Circa acknowledges the assistance of the Australian Government through the Australia Council its arts funding and advisory body, and the assistance of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

Circa thanks and acknowledges the following people and organisations for their support: Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland Philippe Bachman Louise Bezzina Georgie Black Torben Brookman Phil Brown Miranda Brown Hon Tony Burke Patti Burnheim Sharyn Byrnes Adrian Collette AM Cameron Costello Antonin Coutouly Charlie Cush Dominique Delorme Serge Dorny

Paul Dyer AO Hon Leeanne Enoch MP Hon Warren Entsch MP Hon Trevor Evans MP Gina Fairfax AC Tim Fairfax AC Hon Paul Fletcher MP Guislaine Foiret Stephen Foster Carl Fourmile Simon Frost Brigitte Fürle John Glenn Tom Gutteridge Paul Grabowsky

Tania Hall David Hamilton Ngaio Harding-Hill Neal Harvey Kirsten Herring Andrew Helmore Paul Henry Simon Hinton Wolfgang Hoffman Hayley Johnson John Kotzas AM David Lieberman Chris Lorway Annette Madden Bob Manning

Gilles Mattana Shay Minster Allen Moon Michelle Morgan Michael Napthali Alice Nash Roz Pappalardo Jono Perry Dare Power Chantal Prudhomme Destry Puia Evelyn Richardson Julie Tanner Hannah Torrence Damien Walker

Shaun the Sheep's Circus Show

© and TM Aardman Animations LTD 2021

CircAbility is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

our

donors Carrillo Gantner

Jocelyn and Bruce Wolfe

Lawrence English

Vera Smiljanic

Peter Willadsen

Ingrid Costello

Sandy Correia

Kerry Comerford

Catherine Holmes

Warwick Cavanagh

Philip Bacon

Photo by Billie Wilson-Coffey.

Diane Wright

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

38

our

team PAT R O N Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young PSM, Governor of Queensland

BOARD Michael Lynch AO CBE (Chair) Ric Roach (Treasurer) Chris Brady Kerry Comerford Alanna Herbst Anita Heiss AM Michelle Hyams (resigned 5/5/22) Ian Walker Courtney Tuttle (Secretary)

ENSEMBLE Fran Alvarez Jon Bonaventura Holly-Rose Boyer Rhiannon Cave Walker Marty Evans Nancy Luna Gutierrez Keaton Hentoff-Killian Samuel Letch

Gerramy Marsden Hamish McCourty Alice Muntz Daniel O’Brien Kathryn O’Keeffe Paul O’Keeffe Kimberley Rossi Zachery Stephens

Lachlan Sukroo Jarrod Takle Luke Thomas Georgia Webb Billie Wilson-Coffey Ashley Youren Christina Zauner

GUEST ARTISTS Catherine Beaudet Laurie Berube Claire Bindoff Nathan Boyle Joanna Curry Jarred Dewey

Nicky Faubert Lisa Goldsworthy Scott Grove Bridie Hooper Cassia Jamieson Maneleya Kaydos-Nitis

Andrew Sumner David Trappes Violetta Van Geyzel Skip Walker-Milne Conor Wild

YOUNG ARTISTS Erianthe Akaata Brax Blackmore Adelline Bryzak Amelie Bull Flynne Cheetham Madison Cooper

Sienna Exton Matilda Fryer Cristina Gambley Alicia Kiriona Olivia Matigian Anisa Monsour

Phoebe Organ Adeline Saunders Bobbi Shultz Harrison Smith Georgia White

CIRCA CAIRNS ENSEMBLE Ally Humphris Harley Mann Jillibalu Riley Crystal Stacey

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CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Stephanie Pokoj.

S TA F F ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO Yaron Lifschitz

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Shaun Comerford

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Danielle Kellie

INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR Danielle Devery (from October 2022)

HEAD OF TOURING Lisa McCready

PROJECT OFFICER Rose Gamble (Until April 2022)

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Benjamin Knapton

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS Elise Glass Jodie Roche-Jones

HEAD OF MARKETING Bec Grace (to Feb 2022)

RESIDENT DIRECTORS Aoife Carry Laura Hansford (till March 2022) ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND CREATIVE PRODUCER Geordie Brookman HEAD OF DESIGN Libby McDonnell COSTUME COORDINATOR Anna Handford HEAD OF CIRCUS Rowan Heydon-White HEAD OF ENGAGEMENT Katherine Duhigg CIRCA CAIRNS ARTISTIC LEAD Harley Mann CIRCA CAIRNS CREATIVE PRODUCER Rebecca Youdell

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

CIRCABILITY PRODUCER Elizabeth Moore (til October 2022) TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jason Organ

MARKETING MANAGER/HEAD OF MARKETING Jade Fantozzi (from Feb 2022) MARKETING COORDINATOR Liv Williams (Until May 2022) Claire Holland (From July 2022)

PRODUCTION MANAGER Mark Carry (til March 2022) Bryce Holmes (From July 2022) Laura Patterson (From July 2022)

HEAD OF FINANCE Evan Wright (until July 2022) Renee Fletcher (from August 2022)

TECHNICAL COORDINATOR Luke Laidler

SENIOR FINANCE OFFICER Israt Jahan Tinni

HEAD OF OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION Courtney Tuttle

CIRCA CLASSES MANAGER Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis and Ellie Cox

ADMINISTRATORS Laura Coutts (from June 2022) Julia Batterham (from June to November 2022) Cate Carter (from Nov)

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CIRCA CLASSES TRAINERS AND TRAINEES Ellen Cox

Ellen Grow

Sophia O’Connor

Izzy Lawton

Zoe Joiner

Phoebe Organ

Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis

Abby Kelso

Josh Phillips

Tallulah Bennetton

Grace Law

Jacob Ramis

Steph Benson

Micheal Maggs

Amy Stuart

Anisah Collins

Riley McDonald

Eve Timmins

Maddi Costello

Rhys Miller

Lauren Watson

Christina Goodwin

Alex Mizzen

Alex Wecks-Huck

Bella Gregory

Anna Murray

C O N T R ACT S TA F F STAGE MANAGER & SOUND OPERATOR Pip Loth

PRODUCTION MANAGER Richard Aishford

TRUCK DRIVER Andrew Dunn

HEAD ELECTRICIAN Shanon Barclay

STAGE MANAGER Yanni Dubler

RIGGER/TRUCK DRIVER Jon Blake

PRODUCTION MANAGER Ken Francey

VIDEO & AUDIO TECHNICIAN Joshua Braithwaite

PRODUCTION MANAGER Andrew ‘Panda’ Haden

TOUR DIRECTOR Natasha Budd

CARPENTER Geraint Holmes-Clark

WARDROBE COORDINATOR Emily Busch

RIGGER/TRUCK DRIVER Bruce Jobin

TECHNICIAN Jereon Dacquin

TOUR DIRECTOR Todd Kilby

LIGHTING TECHNICIAN Steven May WARDROBE COORDINATOR Jade Mulholland LIGHTING PROGRAMMER Peter Rubie PRODUCTION MANAGER Daniel Sharp TOUR PRODUCER Phillipa Sprott

G U E S T C R E AT I V E S COMPOSER & SOUND DESIGNER Jethro Woodward

LIGHTING DESIGNER Paul Jackson

DESIGNER Damien Bredberg

SCENIC DESIGNER Dan Potra

SOUND DESIGN Luke Briscoe

VIDEOGRAPHER Derwon Green

GUEST ARTISTS ACCORDIONIST Gareth Chin

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VIOLINIST Lachlan O’Donnell

CIRCA CONTEMPORARY CIRCUS

Photo by Amos Adams.

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

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