Duck Pond by Circa REVIEW 15 Jan 2026 ****

Duck Pond by Circa

At Princess Theatre until Sun 25 Jan 2026

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ★★★★ (4)

This review is published only on this blog. I’ll present a radio review on Arts Weekly on 3MBS on Sat 7 Feb 2026. KH

Circa-Duck Pond_photo Pia Johnson

Duck Pond by Circa is a witty, sly, muscular and visually striking collision of ballet myth and contemporary circus invention. Directed and designed by Yaron Lifschitz, the work gleefully splices Swan Lake with The Ugly Duckling, creating a quirky narrative through-line that is less faithful retelling and more playful reimagining of familiar tales.

 

Circa’s trademark multi-skilled circus performers are the engine of the show. Their technical precision is consistently impressive and includes flowing tissu sequences, tender yet powerful adagio work, and a series of human towers that climb to dizzying heights with three and even four bodies stacked with nerve-jangling control. These feats are never just decorative; they are woven into the emotional and narrative fabric of the piece.

 

The production is clearly divided into three parts—The Palace, The Lake, and The Theatre—each with its own tone and physical vocabulary. Libby McDonnell’s costumes cunningly echo classical ballet silhouettes while allowing freedom for extreme physicality, and Jethro Woodward’s pulsing, cinematic score gives the work both momentum and atmosphere.

 

At the centre are the three lead characters: Odette, Odile, and the Prince. Their shifting alliances and desires propel the story to a clear and dramatically satisfying conclusion when the two women united. It’s a bold and emotionally gratifying ending—yet one that is deliberately undercut by the final scenes. In a mischievous move, the fantasy is deconstructed literally on stage before our eyes as performers strip off costumes, dismantle the set, and pack away the gear. We are tossed mercifully back into reality.

 

That final gesture may divide audiences, but it is unmistakably Circa: self-aware, intelligent, and anarchic. Duck Pond doesn’t just retell a story—it pulls it apart, flies it high, and then reminds us it was all a beautifully constructed illusion.

 

 By Kate Herbert

Circa Duck Pond_photo Pia Johnson