A swan, a prince… and an ugly duckling. Australia’s Circa, a circus company with a theatrical sensibility, reimagines Swan Lake, throws in the Ugly Duckling story and much more, and the result is Duck Pond.
The show will hit Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre’s Lyric Theatre from January 30 to February 1 as a presentation of TOLive, before moving on to Vancouver, Montréal and Québec City. The tour comes to Canada directly from their gig at the Royal Festival Hall in London, U.K.
Circa & Duck Pond
Circa was established in 2004, with a home base in Brisbane, Australia. Their tours and multiple productions have taken them to more than 45 countries and two million audience members. Their signature style melds extreme physicality and gravity defying aerials with emotional and theatrical performances.
Duck Pond saw its premiere in 2023 in Brisbane, Australia, and is choreographed for 10 performers. It’s not the first of the company’s shows to combine classical music and story adaptations. What’s become characteristic of their performances is a stunning physicality combined with shots of laugh out loud humour.
It’s a very contemporary take on the idea, in other words. Tchaikovsky’s music is the basis that composer/sound designer Jethro Woodward used to create the soundtrack.
The Story
A love triangle arises between a burlesque and besequinned Black Swan, a hapless Prince, and the Ugly Duckling in white. There is a duck army with sequinned flippers, and in the end, the moral of the story is about finding your true self.
Director Yaron Lifschitz and his creative team create a subtle palette of black and gold, with performers in velvet catsuits. Costumes were created by Libby McDonnell, with lighting design from Alexander Berlage.
“Ballet, fairytale, and circus lovers alike will be transfixed as Duck Pond draws upon the worlds of Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling, as well as a variety of different acrobatic languages—from the seductive burlesque Black Swan to the clowning of the sequin-flippered Duck Army,” shares Yaron Lifschitz in a statement.
- Find more information about performance, and tickets, [HERE].
In addition to Toronto (Jan. 30 – Feb. 1), Duck Pond plays Vancouver (Jan. 22 – 25, 2025), Montreal (Feb. 5 – 9), and Quebec City (February 13 – 15). Info here.
Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.