Circa's BEYOND LOGIC AND DREAM: A SURREAL CIRCUS WORLD OF RABBIT HEADS AND RUBIK'S CUBES, 1/13-18

Australian circus ensemble Circa is one of the finest proponents of modern circus. On the back of a huge international touring schedule their newest show, Beyond, which explores the fine line between human and animal behaviour will appear in Melbourne for the very first time this January.

Breathtaking, surreal and unexpectedly moving, Beyond blends dynamic circus acts like trapeze and Chinese pole with giant fluffy rabbit head costumes, Rubik's Cubes and blindfolds.

Created by Yaron Lifschitz with the Circa ensemble, Beyond comes to life on multiple stages within stages where small red-curtained worlds offer a glimpse of a gorgeous, rich and incredibly quirky world. The set design - with lighting by Jason Organ and costumes by Libby McDonnell - comprises three small stages with red velvet curtains, where the action takes place on, through and around. Audiences may find themselves in a cabaret, a zoo, an asylum or on a stage.

Witness seven performers push their bodies to the limits to a hypnotic mix of show tunes, ballads and electronica. Lifschitz and his ensemble elevate traditional circus acts to a poetic realm of artistry and technical skill with acrobatics, chair balancing, silks, Chinese pole, contortionism and cigar-box juggling. Over the course of the performance audiences get close to the artists, marvel at their skills and emerge into a strangely beautiful and curiously tender world.

Lifschitz's playful work reverses gender roles and revels in extremes of danger, strength and sexuality. Described as a journey into the world of fantasy through a series of rabbit holes, a la Alice in Wonderland, Beyond is a show that will take your flights of fantasy and allow you to launch off and escape from reality.

Brisbane-based Circa is a bold new vision of contemporary circus. Since 2006 the ensemble has toured 30 countries across six continents. In 2013 Circa performed over 420 performances to over 150,000 audience members locally, nationally and internationally. Considered its "masterpiece", Beyond has toured across six continents - including this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival - to critical acclaim.

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