The Fijian Flying Circus is a lo-fi, high energy mix that teaches its performers a valuable grab-bag of theatre and life skills even as they charm the crowds
I’m watching a young man dressed like a bird flying through the air under a big top when I look past him, outside the tent door opposite me, and see a line of people holding on to a rope, muscles straining and shining with sweat in Brisbane’s muggy heat. My eyes trace the cable back inside, and I realise that this rope and this group of people are what is holding the performer up in the air.
Moments earlier, the rope wranglers were on stage themselves, dancing and performing acrobatic tricks. I don’t know if this is how other circuses work, but it’s how things go with the Fijian Flying Circus, whose performers are responsible for every bit of magic you see on stage – including the stage itself.