I worked at the Roundhouse Performing Art Centre in London in 1980.
Thelma, the legendary director at the Roundhouse, informed me that she had booked a circus from Australia to perform. She asked if I had heard of them. I replied no. I had lived in England for several years and was therefore out of touch with the happenings in Australia. I did know that some of my former Flinders colleagues had started something called The New Circus. Circus Oz was a name I’d never heard before.
As the only Australian at the Roundhouse, I was apprehensive about the group and its members. This is a classic example of cultural cringe.
They were, of course, a revelation. They were so funny, creative, talented, and witty. I was so proud to call myself an Australian. They showed the world something intrinsically Australian. I was proud to be an Australian expatriate at a time in history when we no longer had to apologize for our inferiority.
Circus Oz was founded in 1977 to show the world that Australia is unique and capable of incredible feats. They also had something special to bring to the international stage.
This circus was a new model that did not exploit animals but celebrated humankind with joy. Outstanding individuals like Jonno Hawkes and Robyn Laurie populated this world. Anni Davey and Sue Broadway were also part of the cast. Linda Mickleborough was one of the many administrative staff members who have been nurturing and supporting this company for over 20 years.
Today, we heard that Circus Oz will no longer be. I’m not sure why this is happening. The official statement contains a lot of management jargon that confuses rather than clarifies. It is sad. There will be a story behind this, no doubt. This suggests that the funders are trying to make the company something it is not. This may be yet another victim of the arts in recent years.
The end of an era
For many years, Circus Oz has provided Australia with great service. It’s become a part of our everyday lives. It has traveled around the globe promoting Australia’s uniqueness and won acclaim everywhere, from New York to London and Paris. The film has also toured Australia to make Australians proud of their culture.
It has shown many young people that there are other careers than being stuck in an office or factory. It has celebrated Indigenous cultures and protested against the things Australia is most proud of.
It has inspired the creation of many new circuses, and physical theatre is now a popular form of entertainment in Australia. Circuses like the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, Myths & Gravity, Circa, and many others have played a major role in the development of Australian physical theatre.
Generations of performers have trained with Circus Oz and then gone on to work with them and other circuses around the world. The National Institute of Circus Arts in Melbourne would not exist without Circus Oz, nor would Cirkidz in Adelaide.
Circus Oz was also a pioneer in how performing arts groups could be organized and self-managed. Everyone received the same salary, and all took part in decision-making. This was a model of collective and collaborative leadership. It made performers feel more than just performers: they were treated like adults with a role to play in how their world is constructed and managed.
Business or creativity:
Circus Oz was a leader in Australian performing arts when it was accepted into the prestigious Major Performing Arts Framework of the Australia Council. It was included in the same category as opera, ballet, and theatre groups and received guaranteed funding.
This acceptance in the mainstream may have also led to its demise. Then, it had to conform to management expectations that were foreign to the culture and frame of its entity. Arts practitioners have faced an increasing challenge as a result of the corporatization. When business paradigms are dominant, it is alien to the art of making. It is especially foreign to an organization founded on worker entitlements and collective management models, as well as democratic principles.
Circus Oz was a gift from Australia to the world. We all will miss it.