Review But Wait… There’s More : Circus of Excess
Circus Oz
But Wait…There’s More by Circus Oz is an energetic showcase of talent. What is impressive about this troupe is how multi-talented the performers are, mastering acrobatic technique as well as various other skills, such as trapeze, clowning, and hooping. Some of the performers even play musical instruments throughout the show.
The show is all ages, but the theme of the show centres around consumerism and excess. This show constitutes a reflection on the non-stop consumption of stuff as a way to make us happy, and this translates very well in the costume design, as well as the design of certain acts, which are practically dizzying in their variety.
The one critique that I have (and this is because Montreal is truly so spoiled for circus) is that the show was lacking in technique at times. It’s not fair to compare Circus Oz to some of the local talent, because I would posit that our basic philosophical approach is different. The fact that a Circus Oz performer can be a trapeze artist, an arealist, an acrobat, a juggler, all at once in one show, is incredible. But the drawback of this approach is that you do not get the technical mastery that a circus performer will have when they focus on one discipline. While it is very impressive that any one of their performers can demonstrate proficiency in a variety of acts, as an audience member, you can lose sight of just how talented they are, as the show as a whole might not be pushed as far as it could be and you keep waiting for the show to really “start”.
What was incredibly charming in this show was the characters, which also could be developed a bit further. The red-headed wacko clown from the top of the show engages and charms, as does our little neurotic juggler, whose solo act was a standout, as was the sultry trapezist’ act. The characters are what draw us in and if the show’s focus is not going to rely on pushing the technical mastery, they should give us more in narrative and character development. Either way, this is a fun show to bring the kids to and the addition of the very talented live band is quite welcome.
But Wait…There’s More is playing at Tohu (2345 Jarry East), at 7:30pm (2pm on Sundays) from March 5-15, 2015 and tickets are available on www.tohu.ca or by phone at 514-376-8648.
