Unleashed, NICA, NOv 27, 2003

Unleashed 

by National Institute of Circus Arts  (NICA)

Sidney Myer  Circus Studio, NICA, Nov 27 to December 14, 2003

Reviewer: Kate Herbert on Nov 27, 2003

The seventeen exuberant and talented performers in Unleashed are the first graduates of the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) degree.

Unleashed, directed with great style by Neil Gladwin,  is a showcase of individual acts incorporating skills, character and simple scenarios.

The show is a spectacle with a monumental design, (Richard Jeziorny) complex and magical lighting (Phillip Lethlean) and eclectic, evocative music (Yuri Worontschak).

Luke Taylor's charming, juggling clown created a delightful relationship with audience and Tully Fedorowjtsch  charmed us with his drunk balancing a bottle on a paint scraper and amazing spinning meteors.

D.J. Garner's  act hanging from the Chinese straps  was a hit and Peter Booth and James Brown's Duo Acrobatica  combines awesome skill and James Bond spies.

Avan Whaite  creates a spectacular spider-like alien creature that crawls with great skill up a pole and over the floor.

There is some marvellously sassy aerial work. Daniel Power  combines balletic floor acrobatics with a sensual aerial work on the Tissue.

Kristen White  flies on the trapeze dressed as an unwitting 60s secretary complete with stilettos while Alonna Scott  lounges sexily on the Cloud Swing.

A very sultry aerial act with a tinge of the suicidal, is Leigh Marning  on the swinging hoops.

Eloise Green  is a roller-skating, hula hoop twirling 50s chick while Jess Love  plays a nervous girl tortured by hoops.

Chinese hoop diving with a martial arts flavour make Nathan Kell's  act and Hazel Bock plays a wacky, French gibberish-speaking clown who juggles a table with her feet.

Jesse Rowles is a spiv tying to control a rogue hat in his hat manipulation act while Scoot  Easson  clowns around on a walking ladder contending with a naughty spotlight operator.

Three men (Peter Booth, James Brown,  Jesse Rowles, Luke Taylor) contend for the attentions of the sexy gypsy dancer (Kristen White) using the Russian Bar - a flexible flat pole that works like a tight rope.

Unleashed is a great night out to see the work of this next generation of circus performers.

By Kate Herbert