Review: Mother Afria (12th April 2012- Opening Night)

This is my first time watching a circus act in a theatre auditorium instead of the conventional circus tents. In "Mother Africa", you do not see animals in action, and you do not get to see aerial flights. However, the precision and clarity of how stunt skills are demonstrated by the contortionists and acrobats would be enough to blow your mind away.

People tend to associate circus performances as pure entertainment. However, "Mother Africa" is more than that. It is artistic, entertaining and soul-lifting. In addition to the exciting and breathtaking items put up by the performers, the costumes and music were also the highlights of the show. The live band that comprised the lively drummers and percussionists filled the two hours performance with high energy! I especially enjoyed the rhythmic drumbeats from the band that were played with high intensity. The fusion feel of the costumes which was a blend of ethnical and contemporary added vibrancy to the show.

 

Generally, I preferred the first half of the programme to the second half. Items that I really loved were the ladder act which was artistically choreographed and displayed with great mastery; the songs by the three ladies during the first half of the show that were beautifully haunting; the highly challenging handbalancing act on a vertigo-inducing tower of stacked chairs that was carried out by the acrobat with ease and eventually ended with a serene meditative repose position of the acrobat seated on top of the stacked chairs; the feet tossing of a pint-sized acrobat through the air in a backflip by a bigger sized acrobat that stunned the audience as the action was repeated 51 times.

 Video clip of handbalancing act on a tower of stacked chairs:

Each move, each act and each moment would be disastrous without the focus, precision, strength, right timing, and coordination (individually and within a team) that the group of 36 artists demonstrated. After I held my breath through all the acts to the last second and left the theatre, what remained in me were the wonderful memories and the vibrant beats of Africa.

Rating: 8/10

Cirque Mother Africa
THREE more shows on Sat 3:00 PM & 8:00 PM, Sun 8:00 PM
Venue: Esplanade Theatre
Tickets: $68-128.
(PAssion Card Members enjoy 10% discount from 1 March - 15 April 2012)