WORDS + IMAGES: Kate Dyer
Billed as Cirque du Soleil meets The Flintstones, PreHysterical Circus follows the journey of three hungry cavefolk, as they embark on a journey to find snacks amidst the challenges of the hunter/gatherer lifestyle (not unlike modern motherhood, the author notes).
“Yum yums?” they ask the youngest audience members. What are yum yums? Where will they find the yum yums? Grunts, growls and gurgling stomachs give the audience clues as they begin to make sense of some early cave drawings on Grunk’s blackboard.
From trapeze swing river crossings, to fart jokes and juggling fruit, the three fur-clad friends cleverly weave traditional circus acts into the story with ease and a generous serve of humour. An epic slow-motion fight scene set to the tune of Eye of The Tiger serves to decide just how two pieces of fruit might be split among three people, and we discover how Rock Paper Scissors was invented (clue: it all began with rocks).
Grunk, Ow and Erg battle mozzies, icy cold weather and hidden carnivores as they combine their rudimentary brains and develop a friendship based on cooperation and the occasional competition. Their acrobatic skills equally impressed kids and adults alike, with cheer-worthy juggling, aerial and hula hoop moves peppered with a few jokes for the grown-ups too.
The raised stage made for great viewing from any seat, and there was plenty of off-stage action among the crowd to make you feel part of the show. A chance to meet the stars and grab a photo after the show rounded out an enjoyable afternoon and had the kids requesting circus classes and swinging on bike racks all the way back to the car.
A quality production from the Head First Acrobatics crew, you can catch PreHysterical Circus until Sunday 17 March at The Vault at Fool’s Paradise, Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
PreHysterical Circus
Until Sunday 17th of March
The Vault, Fool’s Paradise
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