A new evolution of circus arrives this month, blending humour and heart with world-class physical artistry and theatrical magic.
Featuring a full lineup of acrobats, jugglers, aerialists and fire artists, Cameo Rascale’s Cirque Nouvelle is more than just an internationally acclaimed circus show.
Beyond the feats of athleticism and death-defying stunts, Cirque Nouvelle tells the story of a quirky ringmaster grappling with an anxiety understood by all; the fear of change.
Rebecca Capener, co-producer and performer in the show, knows all too well how embracing the new can be both frightening and transformative.
While her husband James, who shares producer and performing duties with her, grew up as part of a family acrobatic act that made it to the Australia’s Got Talent grand final in 2009, Rebecca came to circus performing as an adult.
“James has been performing since he was four years old with his parents and sister; they lived on cruise ships for about 10 years and also did a lot of work in the UK and Europe,” she said.
“I basically come from a dance background. I’ve been dancing since I was three years old, so I’ve always loved performing.
“When we met I was studying full-time at college, and I’d never juggled before, never done any acrobatics, so how I ended up amongst this circus thing is a bit beyond me.
“But it just goes to show, you should always say yes in life to any opportunity, because you just never know where it leads. I’m so thankful I gave it a shot.”
Rebecca and James debuted Cirque Nouvelle in Western Australia two years ago, marking another significant change – this time from acrobatic performers in a duo act to producing a large-scale, circus-based variety show.
“That first show was very, very crazy, but very successful; we were really happy with how well it was received,” Rebecca said.
“But we’re still learning, still growing, and we’ve got lots of other dreams and goals to reach on the horizon.”
Cirque Nouvelle is at Geelong Arts Centre on Friday 23 January. Visit geelongartscentre.org.au for tickets and more information.
