Circus Oz: But Wait… There’s More

Being one of Australia’s most renown circuses, Circus Oz originally started in Melbourne, so it’s only fitting that their giant tent is situated at Birrarung Marr, right in the centre of Melbourne.

Starting off with a speech acknowledging how the land was originally where the Kulin nation lived, this was almost a precursor for the political and existential themes that would appear later on in the show, not something you would expect from a circus. Consumerism was a big target of the show’s satire, with performers dressed as bar codes and running amok, with the lead actor claiming how people just want more and more “stuff” that keeps us awake at night.

Having said all that, Circus Oz isn’t all social commentary either. Having performers doing flips while inside a huge metal circle or spinning countless hula hoops with your hips at once is no easy feat. There were many acrobatic acts, as well as a band and a rapper to musically accompany all crazy action going on. One standout performances was the video game act, where two performers would leap through the TV and reenact old video games such as Frogger, Pong and Space Invaders, with the band playing 8bit-esque synthesizer music.

This isn’t a circus aiming to be fun for the family with its social commentary, but it gives you plenty of “stuff” to entice you into its own weird, wonderful world.

Circus Oz: But Wait… There’s More
Birrarung Marr, Melbourne
Wednesday June 17 – Sunday 12 July
circusoz.com