E-mail to a friend Find tickets

smaller, poorer, cheaper

Published Friday 13 July 2007 at 10:05 by Liz Arratoon

Last seen here in 2002, the all-muscle-and-sinew Australian company acrobat returns as part of the first Circus Front season. Its uncompromising, pared-down style and extreme training regime are evident in smaller, poorer, cheaper’s three short pieces, which are backed by Tim Barrass’ apt soundtrack, whether percussion, cello or plain old noise.

On a set as seedy as a cheap motel, with an aging carpet and curtains its main features, first up is slender and wiry Jo-Ann Lancaster. She comes on nude but luckily puts on some big white pants before launching into some amazing acrobatic moves that would surely break anyone else’s neck. But her swinging-trapeze routine is somewhat nullified as she swoops beyond the reach of two spotlights above her.

Mozes is the extrovert and clown, as, stark knackers naked, he performs magic tricks, skipping, roller-skating and more with joyful abandon. His wrist-spin while simply holding the rope is thrillingly scary, and a blood-drenched corde lisse number is full of tricky locks and drops.

But like all good showmen, they save the best for last. Simon Yates’ work on slack-rope is a dream, as, wearing pyjamas, he sleepwalks, then awakes from a restless night to partake of a shaky breakfast. His handstand on the rope, acrobatics, including running forward somersaults on to a small table, and standing leap to catch his feet in an overhead loop, are wonders to behold.

Aussies, annoyingly, are often the best at everything, and it would be hard to find artists who are fitter, stronger or, indeed, more crazily daring than these.

E-mail to a friend Find tickets