No sawdust on this circus floor

“No sawdust, no big top, no clowns.” That’s how Brisbane-based circus company Circa bills itself — it takes a stripped-back approach that does away with many of the hoary old props of traditional circus troupes.

“Most new circus is adding theatre and dance to circus, whereas we do the opposite,” artistic director Yaron Lifschitz said.

“We strip it back and find new emotional landscapes inside what is generally considered to be a spectacle.”

It’s a sentiment company member Jarred Dewey strongly agrees with.

“A lot of Circa’s work is about stripping circus down — getting rid of the glamour and finding the authentic beauty,” Dewey told the Star Observer.

“It’s just seven bodies on stage doing amazing things. No characters, pretty much no props.”

A contortionist who spends one portion of the show “tying my arms together, then doing a bunch of handstands bending backwards with my feet by my face,” Dewey has been working as a circus performer since joining youth troupe Cirkidz at age 10.

Much to this totally inflexible writer’s chagrin, he said that in circus — and particularly in contortion — an early start was essential.

“You definitely have to start young. Once puberty sets in, everything gets kind of ‘set’. I’ve been working away at my flexibility for 13 years now,” he said.

Alongside Dewey’s limb-bending feats, audiences at Circa (which comes to Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre next week) will witness highly-connected acrobatic and tumbling sequences, dazzling aerial displays and unfettered acrobatics.

Considering the precise and somewhat dangerous nature of the work, it’s surprising to learn that much of Circa is improvised.

“It feels really liberating to be on stage creating something on the spot you hope the audience will like,” Dewey said.

“It’s a bit of a gamble, but the pay-off can be really great.”

Being a queer performer, Dewey said he also enjoyed being part of a company that is forward-thinking about the fluidity of gender and sexual expression.

“Traditional circus is so set in its ways, particularly in terms of gender roles. Sparkly spandex for the women, strong masculine costumes for the men. Not to mention animal cruelty.

“It’s all so dated now. Circus has so much more to offer than ‘Ta-dah!’

“There’s a really nice equality on stage at Circa, and it’s such a safe environment. It feels really good to be yourself on stage and know that the choices you’re making on stage are authentic to who you are.”

INFO: Circa, May 29 – June 10, Malthouse Theatre. www.malthousetheatre.com.au