On a slightly grizzly Saturday afternoon, I venture once more to the Underbelly Circus Hub to see the new and award-winning show Perhaps Hope by company Here and Now. The production focuses on climate change and the problems we face now and in the future with rising water levels and global warming – something the two performers, Rockie Stone (Circa) and Vincent van Berkel (Circus Oz), are clearly passionate about. The pair lift, balance, tumble and manipulate through an hour of fluid and beautiful acrobatics to a soundtrack of eclectic music.

Violet returns to the Southbank, kickstarting another season of the Underbelly Festival. For those who haven’t been, the Underbelly is London’s go-to popup venue for all things comedy, burlesque, circus or generally fringe related. It’s a great opportunity to catch acts before they ship-off (and generally sell-out) to Edinburgh.

I’d like to start with saying that for me, Circa are one of, if not the most exciting companies premiering their work at this years London International Mime Festival. This particular piece is developed from Moneteverdi’s Il Ritorno D’Ulisse, consequently becoming part circus show part opera – which is a surprisingly eloquent mix.

There are many categories of performance at The Fringe – something to suit all. From musicals to comedy, puppetry to spoken word, you name it – they’ve got it! One genre that particularly interests me is circus. I’m not sure whether it’s the excitement and sheer adrenaline rush you get whilst watching these incredibly muscular and toned athletes complete death defying stunts, or whether it’s that I like to pretend it’s me up there on the high-wire, staring down at hundreds of gob smacked faces. Either way, I know that never in a 100 years would I be able to complete the tricks and tumbles they skilfully perform on a nightly basis.

Circa from Brisbane Australia are a circus company with a difference using acrobatics and movement to create amazing shows. Since 2006 Circa has toured to 32 countries including the astounding productions of Beyond and Wunderkammer. This year, Circa have been commissioned by Underbelly to create yet another exciting performance! 

Circa from Brisbane Australia are a circus company with a difference using acrobatics and movement to create amazing shows. Since 2006 Circa has toured to 32 countries including the astounding productions of Beyond and Wunderkammer. This year, Circa have been commissioned by Underbelly to create yet another exciting performance! 

Beyond was a breathtaking exploration of the beauty and strength of the human form, without failing to also portray the body’s strange grotesqueness. In a frantic hour of flying chairs, Rubik’s cubes, animal costumes and impersonations, unbelievable contortion and awesome gymnastics, Circa’s contribution to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, playing at Underbelly’s McEwan Hall, did as promised and went well beyond what I believed the body had the capacity to do.

For centuries, our perceptions of the circus have been fixed into believing that the art form is a set genre, devoted to showcasing a selection of the weird and the wonderful, from contortion artists to jugglers, trapeze artists to clowns. Fast forward to the 21st century, and Artistic Director of Circa, Yaron Lifschitz updates the traditional art form into a thematic and imaginative playground full of wonder amazement. As the founder of the internationally acclaimed Circa, noted for their ambitious and awe inspiring productions, Yaron has witnessed the company’s popularity go from strength to strength. Having taken their performance of Beyond worldwide, Circa will be making a pit stop in Edinburgh for the next month as they take on this year’s Festival. Ahead of their performances, I was able to speak to Yaron about his inspirations for the production, what he’s looking forward to the most at this year’s festival and why it’s important to not take yourself too seriously!

Yaron, you are the Artistic Director of Circa, who will be showcasing the critically acclaimed Beyond at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 30^th July. Could you describe the concept of the production?