Zeb Hunter on How Australian Circus Adapts
The times they are a-changing for our industry. With a new year, new technology, and a new phase of the pandemic, it can be hard to get a read on the global landscape of circus arts— but it always helps to meet people where they are, and plan ahead. In this Industry Q/A series, we call on industry experts from around the world to answer our most pressing questions and help the circus sector envision new ways forward.
This January, we spoke with Zeb Hunter, artist, academic, and director of Circus Monoxide in New South Wales, Australia. Zeb and Monoxide began 2022 at the Sydney Festival, with three restagings of their show “The Construct” at different venues happening throughout the month. We asked Zeb about how Australian circus has evolved since the pandemic started, and how performers can continue adapting to change ahead. Carolyn Klein: At the Sydney Festival, how will you be adapting “The Construct” to three different performance spaces? Zeb Hunter: Each space has a very different performance layout which we will accommodate. The first performance space in Cronulla is a raised, circular platform in a busy thoroughfare by the beach. We are performing in a 180-degree layout with a raked audience, which means the performers will have to be really careful with the apparatus when movin...Do you have a story to share? Submit your news story, article or press release.