Up In Smoke
CirKidz @ Sideshow Paradiso
5:00pm, Mon 13 Mar 2006
First up – not the greatest circus act I’ve ever seen. Not even close.
That’s because we’re talking about Adelaide’s own CirKidz here – essentially, young performers in training… emphasis on the young. So there’s none of the death-defying stuff that we (I) am becoming a bit blasé about, because let’s face it – who wants to see a kid hurt themselves?
So this ragged collection of children go through their selection of tumbling, balancing, trapeze and hoop-work. Yes, their presentation skills aren’t up to scratch. Yes, they bugger up the odd trick or four. Yes, the theatrical components are often over-acted to the point of absurdity.
But you know what?
You can just sense that, in two years time, rather than unfurling themselves for three rolls on the tissue, one of these little buggers will be rolling down from the roof. Of a very large tent. And bringing the audience to their feet with applause.
However – with the exception of the eldest boy in the group (who was quite insanely flexible) – it’d be hard to argue this was worth it, in entertainment terms. And the “ticketing” was poorly handled, to say the least.