Circus Oz, celebrating its 40th anniversary, has combined its talents with the German musical duo Astrid & Otto, aka Australian comedians Clare Bartholomew & Daniel Tobias of Die Roten Punkte. The show Rock Bang combines music, theatre, and cabaret with comedy, acrobatics, and comedy.
In a world where we have become hyper-sensory, it is expected that we can juggle so many different forms. The most rewarding part of this show is that Rob Tannion’s artistic direction allows each art form to shine.
The story revolves around Astrid and Otto, two fictional characters. They escape their rural German childhood to Berlin just as the Berlin wall falls; they are absorbed into Berlin’s music scene and lounge and form their band Die Roten Punkte, which includes the tiniest drum kit and other sound-making items. Astrid and Otto “wake up” in Wagga Wagga (as one does)!
The use of the forest as an audience in this story is one of the most memorable scenes. Astrid and Otto flee home to seek refuge and reassurance. It’s an effective, simple metaphor.
Acrobatics are a highlight of Circus Oz. In a scene in a Berlin pizzeria, the juggling begins with a member of the ensemble dressed as a bakery. All are gradually drawn in. The coordination and use of sight gags, such as pizza balls and flying pizza trays, and their picking up and dusting off, and then placing back on the tray, are highly skilled and provide great comic theatre.
In 1990, David Bowie’s visit to Berlin was a turning point for Otto. It is easy to see how Bowie has influenced Die Roten Punkte with his theatricality and mix of musical genres. From this point, the duo ostensibly decides to go into rock and roll, with Bowie acting as their guardian. A member of Circus Oz in golden clothing performs choreographed aerial movements, largely within the confines of large metal hoops. This angel appears in different phases of the Moon, shining down upon Otto while he sings.
Bowie’s Space Oddity also appears when Otto is elated from reality in a scene where he is lost on another planet while atop a spaceship. All hands handle lighting and music effects. The result is fantastic. The location is reminiscent of the Australian band Jet, who explored this theme earlier in their song Timothy.
Astrid is a great asset to the Circus Oz troupe in many scenes. Two sections of Rock Bang, however, contrast each other to show how the arts community must always be innovative and go beyond cliches in order to portray those on the margins of society.
Astrid is in a rehab unit for detox. It is unfortunate that in the first scene, caricatures of people with mental illnesses are used, possibly to enhance the acrobatic show.
It is a brilliantly inventive scene when Astrid searches for a way to escape from her confinement. The entire cast adopts Astrid’s persona. Astrids are seen in multiples, and there is a beautiful medley and choreography of her movements.
Otto, along with the Circus Oz cast, explores the growing techno music scenes that developed in Berlin in the 80s and 90s. Otto adopts the robot persona. The set, which features the song Robot/Lion about a robotic lion who wants to become a lion, works well musically, visually, and theatrically. The scene is pure Daft Punk, with a hint of Bowie.
This song explores Otto and Astrid’s musical exploration of Kraftwerk’s ambivalence about the positive and negative impacts of technology on humanity. Otto’s mantra of love and resilience is a toy lion. The toy lion is used when a human actor is not available. We know that Otto is a human being despite all the robotic intrigue.
Tamara Murphy and Casey Bennetto are among the many talented musicians who perform a wide range of rock styles, from punk to techno, while accompanying Otto and Astrid’s songs. Rock Bang is an intense and rewarding multisensory experience.