Marty Evans talking about bringing 'Humans' by Circa to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Name of Edinburgh show: Humans by Circa
Venue: The Lafayette
Performance time: 1900
Show length: 60 minutes
Ticket price: 20

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your performing background?
I found circus late while I was studying a maths/chemistry degree at the University of Sydney. I then discovered the National Institute of Circus arts in Melbourne where I graduated with a Bachelor of Circus Arts. After graduation in 2015 I began as an ensemble member at Circa where I have been ever since. With them I have performed in over 20 countries around the world.

Tell me about your new show, what it is all about?
Humans is not actually a ‘new’ show, we had such a good time bringing to the Edinburgh festival in 2017 where we had a completely sold out season that we have brought it back! Humans is a show about exactly that, humans; what makes us unique as a species? It explores both our complexity and also our limits.

How long have you been working on this show and what is it that makes it relevant to audiences in 2019?
Humans premiered in Sydney at the beginning of 2017 and has been performed all over the world in a variety of forms. Humanity will always be a relevant topic, so hopefully our audiences at fringe can relate to some of our struggles, successes and perhaps our inability to complete a seemingly simple task…

Do you have any top tips for surviving the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – both for performers and visitors to the event?
My absolute top tip is to make a calendar, must see shows tend to have similar time slots, so I find it important to plan ahead to not miss anything. Number two for me is always the search for a good coffee (OR TEA), luckily Edinburgh has plenty of options for caffeine!

What has been the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
Whenever I make a mistake on stage it’s pretty embarrassing, but I seem to have repressed all the big ones because nothing jumps out at me.

Who are your biggest inspirations in the industry and why?
I have such a wide range of inspirations from both inside and outside the industry; I’m still constantly inspired by mathematics and try to apply that to the way I approach my circus practice.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?
As a group we always come together just before we head on stage to connect and with each other “chookas”, which normally leaves me making some chicken noises.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at Edinburgh Fringe?

There is such a strong contingent of Australian work at this year’s festival that’s it’s far too hard to name names; but there are a lot of friends that I look forward to seeing on stage.

Why do you think people should come and see your show over the thousands of others on at the fringe?
To answer that I’m just going to link Circa’s description of the show because I think it speaks for itself for this one;
“Ten acrobats from award-winning contemporary circus ensemble Circa take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human and of how our bodies, our connections and our aspirations all form part of who we are.
Exploring the physical limits of their bodies as they are pushed to the extreme they question how much we can take as humans. How much weight can we carry? Who can we trust to support our load? They lead us to reflect on our lives, our loved ones, the burdens we carry and the physical and emotional strength it takes to overcome them.
Created by Yaron Lifschitz, the stage is stripped bare as the vulnerability of a team of highly skilled acrobats is exposed. With incredible strength and integrity they connect each moment seamlessly with the next in a thrilling and heart-stopping performance. Glimpse their humanity as they as they find redemptive power in strength and celebrate what it means to be fiercely human.”  

And if that doesn’t sell it for you, definitely check out the promo https://vimeo.com/203785131

Thanks for having Tea With Wilma
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