Circus Oz
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Circus Oz is an Australian circus group that was founded in 1978 through the amalgamation of two groups: Soapbox Circus and New Circus.
Originating in the Australian Performing Group based at The Pram Factory in Melbourne, and now based in a secret circus laboratory deep in the heart of Port Melbourne, Circus Oz has gone on to be Australia's premier Circus. They tour nationally in a custom-made Big Top and internationally usually in theatres and concert halls.
One of the very first 'new' or 'contemporary' circuses without animals, (it pre-dates Cirque du Soleil by about 6 years), Circus Oz continues to make a show with only a dozen multi-skilled performers who all perform the entire show, doing 'a bit of everything', from acrobatics and clowning to music and aerial work. The skills are high-level circus, but the show is usually quite funny and character-driven. The cast is a diverse mix of body shapes and ages, with an equal number of men and women. Their style is generally cheeky, anarchic and subversive, with enough strong women and graceful men.
The company have an ongoing social justice agenda and have generally been open about supporting humanist causes. Over the years this has included Women's rights, Land Rights for indigenous Australians and strong opposition to the Howard Government's mandatory indefinite detention of asylum seekers.
Circus Oz has performed in twenty six countries across five continents including 4 seasons on 42nd Street in New York, a number of seasons at Queen Elizabeth and Royal Festival Halls in London, a refugee camp in the West Bank, indigenous communities in the Australian desert and a glass opera house in the Brazilian rainforest. Over two million people have seen the company perform, and the show has been translated into dozens of languages – from Hindi to Danish. The troupe has broken box office records at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and represented Australia at scores of international festivals.
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