All the Buzz

When the Murray River Performing Group began in 1979, it was made up of only nine artists who had dedicated themselves to performing and touring theatrical productions in Albury-Wodonga and throughout the Murray River region. Clearly committed to their goal, within one year the group had managed to perform in over forty venues. However, the runaway success of one project quickly outshone the rest.

To mark the International Year of the Child, the group decided to work on a production which aimed to spark enthusiasm for performing in local children. They settled on circus arts as a means of engaging a younger audience who might find its non-competitive nature, physicality, and intrinsic joy particularly appealing.

What began as a series of workshops offering circus training to children aged seven to seventeen, then blossomed into around 171 training sessions and a touring show in that very same year.

Taking its name from the fruit fly protection zone which extended along the NSW and Victoria border, ‘The Flying Fruit Fly Circus’ was a way to showcase the newfound talents of these children to their families, peers, and those eager to be entertained. First touring to perform at the Sydney Festival, this poster advertised their debut season in Albury. After a sell-out run over five days, it is easy to see why so many children were so eager to continue their circus journey.

This small, community-based performance group likely never intended to birth a project that would go on to becoming such a success story. However, popularity only grew in subsequent years until the Fruit Flies became the beloved regional institution they are today – still educating and training burgeoning circus performers after forty-five years.