I'm off to join the Circus....

I'm not sure how many times I have seen Circus Oz perform, I think I have seen possibly 10 of their shows and I think between Griffith, Sydney and Melbourne maybe doubled up on one of two of those as well. I didn't get to see the first season 35 years ago, but I do know a local couple who did and they are also still returning to see what this remarkable company of performers and story tellers have to tell and show us. 

CIRCUS OZ - MODEL CITIZEN'S

What is it about theatre in Griffith that keeps audiences away?  Here we have a facility that is world class and consistently features acts from around the world that are world class, and yet more often than not they perform to a theatre that is not full.

2017 Xperience Xplore Xperiment

Tonight Raina Savage launched the Griffith Regional Theatre  2017 Season.  It was a stylish event, showcasing local and regional talent with some highlight performances from returning for one last round of applause and then introducing the program for 2017.

Our Education Future - what is possible

This week I had the opportunity to participate in the thinking on the Future of Education in our community. I have long believed that our system is failing young people in how it prepares them for the world of their future.

CIRCA - Camille Saint-Saëns “Carnival of the Animals”

A story on the Circus, I believe, should always start with a short history lesson.  I actually thought I was going to be telling you about the Roman Empire, and how those great edifices to entertainment, violence and mass slaughter, the Roman Circuses, were the precursor to the modern circus. Those great open air entertainment facilities, were actually great race tracks, big enough for chariot races, sea battles and then the battles of Gladiators. The areas were not circular either, but instead two linear race tracks with a curved enclosure at each end. So lesson learnt, the modern racetrack owes its design to the ancient roman empire and for the modern Circus we have to look to more recent history.

The modern circus began in England after the end of the Seven Years War (thats the one where Britain had a barney with France and Spain, then Prussia, Austria  and Russia got involved, anyway it left Europe in a bit of a mess, laid the foundation for future conflicts, but that is another story.  Our story is about Philip Astley ho created what we now know as Circus in 1768. He established a performance arena he called a circle or as it would become known as “circus”.   Ashley had served in the Seven Years War in the 15th Light Dragons Regiment where he showed great talent with horses, and following the war he chose to imitate the trick riders that were performing across Europe. With trick riders as the start he then started to add other elements he took from theatre, clowns, jugglers, tumbling, and rope tricks.  His “circus’ was built on the talents of his artists their strength, agility and ability to connect with an audience.