3wAyXchange
Circus Arts Steal the Commonwealth Spotlight
In 2006, as international visitors flocked to Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games, another event managed to draw their attention from sporting fields to stages.
Festival Melbourne was a cultural program of free events coinciding with the Games which promised eleven days of non-stop music, dance, street theatre, and visual arts in venues around the state.
However, it was the Big Top in Alexandra Gardens that garnered truly enthusiastic audiences, with hundreds of people attending – and being turned away from – each performance. Inside was 3wAyXchange, a collaborative show which brought together the talents of three youth circuses: The Flying Fruit Fly Circus (FFFC) from Albury-Wodonga, Brewarrina Circus Project from outback NSW, and Zip Zip Circus from Capetown, South Africa.
Directed by Kim Walker (the Fruit Flies’ artistic director) alongside others from each circus, 3wAyXchange was produced with a tight budget and only seven days of rehearsals. This meant its success depended on the professionalism of the boisterous cast of 27 performers.
With audiences and performers coming from far and wide, it was decided the show would be set in an airport transit lounge. Imagining all the comings and goings of the airport, the acts cheekily combined aerial artistry, acrobatics, and comedy. For instance, a girl juggling suitcases with her feet.
The cast undeniably delivered, with the Closing Ceremony becoming the perfect victory lap for a few lucky performers. Wearing simple yellow costumes, like this one, they were able to show off their skills one more time and bask in their success.
