‘Playfully morphing between modes’
I thankfully have no children but have observed my friends that do, say that their changeable little goblins are difficult to entertain and appease. With war, sex and the stock market easily accessible through those magic mirrors we keep giving them, how does one engage such overstimulated offspring?
Circus is a common answer, but suppose you don’t want to trek out to deepest Dagenham and walk under an underpass? No, you want to stay central, maybe even drag the terrors into an already thumping Italian restaurant before, so their screams are drowned out. You also want the little creatures to not grow up knuckle-draggingly uncultured; you want them quietly engrossed yet not coming out with such embarrassing statements as “oh, is that the Bach? I prefer the Mozart” – you want street smarts, some swagger, maybe a James Baldwin reference.
Not saying that all that is possible in one theatre trip avec la famille, but it’s a strong first step. Originally from Australia and in their 12th year, Onyx Productions’ 360 Allstars has been spinning around our globe, in almost every way. Gene Peterson – producer, director, drummer and rapper – astounds not only with his constantly shifting accent, but also his unflagging dedication to bringing reimagined circus to the world, working with very little.
Set-wise it’s raised DJ decks, a pull-down projector screen and some strip lights. Little in the way of costumes or props means it’s the energy crafted from live music and frantic rotation of talent that keeps the show shifting from foot to foot.
Mirrah Faye-Parker is our MC with a lovely singing voice. She and Peterson underscore each act with relevant spitting; Mirrah has her own blistering solos and uses a loop pedal to link in Peterson’s drumming, who also has an formidable if a little long (aren’t they always?) drum solo.
The inventive twist helps inform the acts and action, keeping the pace frenetic and varied – no snoozing 8-year-old or temper tantrums here. Peter Sore clunks and spirals on his BMX, impressive but ungainly. Jun Hasegawa AKA Pafo is equally the basketball freestyler, talented at juggling and spinning, a comic gift as close as the show will get to clown, but ultimately a rather theatrically limited skill. 5 balls is a feat no matter what way you look at it!
Later we get a sublime Mortal Kombat-style breakdance battle between Peter Sette “Bboy Sette” and Jared Graham “Bboy Leerok”, each trying to outdo the other – spinning, flipping, acrobatic as much as dancers – they tune into the self-referential and buzzin’ soundtrack.
Josh Curtis dazzles on the Cyr ring and other acrobatic feats, and each gets a solo or duet early on to draw us into their orbit. Peterson cleverly blends each of their skills into one another in the final 20 minutes; they pick up a bit of this and that, making them seem more cohesive as a troop. A spotlight and the dropped Cyr ring create an even smaller ring from which the cast leaps in and out, playfully morphing between roles.
Take your little ones, or even your smaller friends, pop an edible if you’re old enough, or a couple of wines, stone-cold it – whatever the route, allow yourself to be spun into the wacky and overwhelming world of 360 Allstars!
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