By BRUCE DENNILL
Malo And The Moon Maiden / Directed by Janice Honeyman / The Cirk, Cresta Shopping Centre, Randburg
The Cirk is an entertainment and performance company specialising in acrobatic and aerial work and providing various affiliated classes to members of the public. As an operation, it’s a lot slicker, cleaner and safer than the old-fashioned version of a circus, but as a platform for the same thrilling skills – choreographed moves on rings and straps high above the stage, blowing fire and more – and the underrated complexity of clowning, it’s every bit as enjoyable to visit.
Set and lighting designer Wilhelm Disbergen has created a colourful, dramatic milieu for the action, with a huge, Marc Chagall-inspired painting of a dense collection of circus figures forming the backdrop and an extended stage with a circular platform jutting out into the crowd, bring the cast so close to the crowd that when they’re in the air, they’re often swinging out over the audience’s heads.
The cast of nine is led by Daniel Buckland as Malo, a clown with a deeply caring heart and sweet, sad charm. He is abused and hectored by the aggressive, arrogant ringmaster Ratchett (Yahto Kraft) and besotted with the mysterious, beautiful moon maiden, Melodia Luna (Claudia Moruzzi, who also created the show’s gorgeous costumes). The rest of the performers are Malo’s colleagues in the circus, some of whom are sympathetic and others who are protecting their own interests by maintaining close allegiance with Ratchett.
The plot is, by design, kept fairly spare, with the focus mostly on the physical expertise of the cast and the musical numbers scored by Wessel Odendaal, which play almost as important a role as the acrobatics and dancing in keeping the show’s energy high. Kraft recently played Meatloaf on this stage, so the intensity of his singing is unsurprising and that, along with the whip he cracks rhythmically as he bullies his charges.
Buckland showcases the skills honed during extensive work with Cirque du Soleil and is warmly magnetic at the centre of the production as Malo seeks to love and protect Melodia; get out from under the thumb of Ratchett and support those around him.
The two-act show is a pleasing mélange of song, dance, circus skills and acting, all happening within a compact space, both in terms of the room the performers have to complete their routines and in terms of how close to the crowd the performers are throughout the piece. This aspect of the piece sets it apart from most theatrical works, making it a different kind of experience, and one that will leave you appreciating the athleticism and control (the latter showcased even in the couple of moments where the well-drilled cast slightly missed a cue and improvised smoothly to cover the moment) of performers who make taking considerable physical risks look as easy and comfortable as ordering a drink at the venue’s bar.
