Arts & Culture

We all miss going to shows and live performances and I’m right there with you. Luckily there is still a way to watch circus performances from your couch! I was recently directed by a fellow circus colleague to a circus specific streaming service called Netflips. This service allows you to rent a recorded performance from independent circus companies from around the world, with productions being added to the site weekly. With more than 95% of the proceeds going straight to the companies and performers, Netflips is a great tool for you to stay connected with the circus at a distance, while also supporting the international circus community. 

I tried out Netflips recently and was not disappointed. I watched a performance called Elephant In The Room by a small French circus troupe called Cirque Le Roux. I recommend this amazing performance but I want to warn any parents that it might not be suitable for some families or children due to partial nudity and suggestive themes. For a description of the plot, visit the Cirque Le Roux at https://www.cirqueleroux.com/en/the-elephant-in-the-room/

First of all, the way this performance was recorded was phenomenal. It was recorded in such a way where I felt like I was watching a live performance but still had the benefit of being able to get close up views of the performers. I was blown away by this troupe’s ability to use a small theater set to convey a wide range of setting and emotion and the use of hand to hand and partner acrobatics to convey small scuffles and interpersonal relationships between characters was very innovative. I really enjoyed the music throughout the performance and the simple yet stunning film noir visuals were very aesthetically pleasing. 

It is hard to pick just one scene to call my favorite but I can only describe my favorite scene as some sort of dream sequence where time seems to slow down, and two of the characters are doing a very intimate hand to hand/handstand act together. The lighting is low and there are lit up lampshades all around them that look like they are floating, it was an incredible visual effect. The culmination of all of these features drew me in so much that I almost forgot I was still at home.

You can find this performance and many others on Netflips, and if you’re like me and are itching to have live performance back in your life again, I highly recommend perusing their catalog for other circus content. 

Article by Isaac McDonald