Life? It’s a circus!

Duration:
50min + 10 Q&A
Suitability:
Grades 7 - 12 ( Drama, English & HPE Students )
Available Terms:
Terms 1 - 4
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LIFE – IT’S A CIRCUS
Two Performers. Countless Characters. One Wild Ride Through the Human Condition.

Venue: Double Teaching Space, Drama Classroom, Studio, Theatre, Hall

An energetic and thought-provoking theatrical adventure that fuses contemporary circus, physical theatre, clowning, and poetic storytelling. Through acrobatic antics, balancing chairs, lyrical interludes, improvisation, and pure theatrical joy, Life – It’s a Circus invites audiences to reflect on love, trust, fear, resilience, risk, and hope — the many balancing acts of life. A visually striking, emotionally rich, and philosophically playful experience that will leave audiences laughing, wondering, gasping, and inspired.

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM LINKS

Target Audience: Years 7–12
Supports cross-curricular learning in Drama, HPE, and General Capabilities

The Arts – Drama

Years 7–10 | Strands:

  • Developing understanding and practices
    Explore how dramatic action, performance styles (physical theatre, clowning), and expressive skills are used to communicate real-life challenges and emotional journeys.
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  • Responding and interpreting
    Analyse how meaning is shaped through action, gesture, movement, and relationships on stage.
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Senior Secondary – Drama (Years 11–12):

  • Explore non-realistic performance styles (clowning, physical theatre, poetic monologue)
  • Apply dramatic languages and performance-making processes in devised ensemble work
  • Reflect on audience engagement and social commentary through live performance

Health and Physical Education (HPE)

Years 7–10 | Personal, Social and Community Health

  • Investigate strategies to manage emotional responses, strengthen relationships, and understand consequences
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  • Examine how connecting with others through creative performance supports mental and social well-being
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Senior Secondary – Health Studies / Personal Development:

  • Investigate themes of identity, risk-taking, resilience, and empathy through metaphor and physical expression
  • Understand wellbeing through creative arts, embodiment, and reflection

General Capabilities

Critical and Creative Thinking

  • Express complex ideas, feelings, and dilemmas using visual and physical metaphor
  • Evaluate the impact of theatrical choices on meaning-making and audience perception

Ethical Understanding

  • Explore moral dilemmas and consequences in a performative context
  • Engage empathy, reasoning, and imagination to understand different viewpoints

Personal and Social Capability

  • Build confidence, resilience, and adaptability
  • Understand and manage emotions through embodied learning
  • Foster empathy and cooperation through ensemble performance and audience connection

Style and Form

  • Physical Theatre – expressive storytelling through body and gesture
  • Circus & Comedy – balance, acrobatics, juggling of objects and ideas
  • Improvisation & Clowning – spontaneous interaction and direct audience engagement
  • Poetry, Song, Dance – emotional texture and narrative layers

Themes and Contexts

  • Relationships, Trust, and Friendship – navigating emotional bonds
  • Fear, Loss, and Betrayal – explored with theatrical empathy
  • Courage and Risk-taking – both literal and metaphorical
  • Consequences and Choices – unpacked through dramatic form
  • Love, Resilience, and Hope – celebrated in circus metaphors
  • Mistakes and Forgiveness – part of the human circus
  • Empathy and Imagination – the heart of the performance
  • Comic Relief and Truth – using laughter to unlock deeper insight

Performance History

Originally toured to Queensland Primary and Secondary schools through Artslink/Queensland Arts Council (2012–2013) to widespread acclaim. The work has been refined and reinvigorated for modern audiences, with a strong focus on curriculum alignment and deeper audience engagement for Years 7–12. “Life – It’s a Circus” is a powerful and flexible incursion or theatre excursion piece that complements classroom learning and sparks post-show dialogue around life, identity, and resilience – all delivered through the joy and precision of live performance.

Devised by: Allie Wilde and Nick Cilento
Directed by: Allie Wilde and Nick Cilento

"Absolutely brilliant! The light and shade was very interesting... Students were engaged from start to finish. Extremely entertaining. Thank you very, very much!"★★★★★

- Eidvold State High School, QLD

"Amazing performance! You were able to deliver some extremely important messages in a mystifying performance. I would see it again! 5 Stars!"★★★★★

- St. Stephen's Lutheran College, QLD