Just metres from Melbourne’s buzzing Chapel Street, lies the internationally-recognised National Institute of Circus Arts – NICA, Australia’s only tertiary accredited circus school. 2026 marks the centre’s 26th anniversary and if tonight’s performance is anything to go by, the institute continues to produce outstanding talent.
Inside its home was a packed audience waiting eagerly to witness a performance titled Behind the Veil, an ensemble performance over five nights from its second year students.
As the lights went up, a sparse stage meant the focus was entirely on the performers. The audience was immediately entranced by an ever-moving and interacting group of around 12 performers in matching checked overalls and flat caps, who variously moved in co-ordinated routines nippily across the performance space. There were tumbling floor routines, teams climbing then hanging upside down from tall climbing poles, climbing and standing on chairs arranged as pyramids and a comical performer lowered onto the floor from high in the ceiling, dressed in an old time aviator outfit, complete with leather hat and goggles.
At the end of each segment, performers showed their range with some slapstick clowning while the next segment was being readied. They would walk into the audience and engage us with challenges like blowing up balloons or asking questions only they knew the answers to. Their mini performances meant that the audience were never without something to have their eyes on, continuing the rolling entertainment.
The music was loud and energetic and segued from electro to rock beats, each change heralding a new stage of the slickly unfolding performance.
The performers demonstrated their extraordinary strength and co-ordination variously carrying other performers; floor routines were rolled out before forming human pyramids high on each others’ shoulders and a backward-arched performer, who was eerily reminiscent of Linda Blair’s character in the Exorcist when she walked down the film’s stairs, walked across the stage.
With so much going on, the audience was spoilt for choice as everywhere you looked there was always something more amazing to be entertained by during the show’s 90-minute duration.
Whether you enjoy high-speed hula hooping, trapeze artists on swings and walking ropes or others who drop and twist along ceiling-to-floor hanging fabric ribbons using extraordinary strength, grace and flexibility, it was all on brilliant display at NICA’s Behind the Veil.
Review by Stephen Corvini
