2010

The Women’s Circus, as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, presents the premiere of their latest show, Quite Contrary, directed by Debra Batton.

When a chorus of over 100 women take hold of the circus the lines between backstage, upstage, onstage and downstage become blurred. We all know that the women run the show, let us rub your nose in it! Where flying through the air is part of the daily grind/mind, smiling upside down is a face lift, notions of normal are twisted and difference is celebrated.

Quite contrary is mostly performed & crewed by volunteers. Over 100 women ranging from complete beginners to emerging circus performers volunteer their time and energy, drawn together by their strong ownership and love of the Women’s Circus community. In their day to day lives they are students, mothers, lawyers, health professionals, unemployed, public servants, animators, vet nurses, arts workers , it workers, community workers and much more. But for these 2 weeks their lives go on hold as they transform into aerialists, tumblers, jugglers, musicians, riggers, sound crew, bar staff and just about anything else that is needed to produce a circus show.

New to the Women’s Circus, Artistic Director, Debra Batton conceptualized Quite Contrary whilst guiding and nurturing the performers. She is unfashionably excited by the devising process, the uncovering of performance and remaining uncertain for as long as possible. Debra is an independent artist, director, choreographer and performer working across physical theatre, dance and circus. She has recently returned home to Melbourne following over 10 years in Sydney with renowned physical theatre company Legs on the Wall. She has performed, choreographed facilitated and directed many productions including ‘On the Case’ for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival winning two Helpmann Awards. She has toured extensively nationally and internationally both with Legs on the Wall and prior to this with Circus Oz. She has also performed and choreographed with Opera Australia, Kneehigh Theatre U.K. Magpie Theatre SA, Tracks Dance NT and Storm in a Tea Cup dance theatre in Melbourne. Debra recently directed the NICA second year performance ‘We All Fall Down’.

INFORMATION
Venue: Meat Market, 5 Blackwood St, North Melbourne
Season Dates: 23-26 Sept 2010 & 30 Sept-3 Oct 2010 @ 7.30pm
Times/Notes: Doors Open for pre show drinks and performances at 6.30pm with seating from 7.15pm
Tickets: Conc. $27.00, Full $33.00
Bookings: Festival Tickets: 03 9660 9666 or www.melbournefringe.com.au

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
Dianne Toulson
Women’s Circus General Manager
03 9687 3665 / 0437 278 886
manager@womenscircus.org.au