Upon entering the Gate 7 Warehouse at the Melbourne showgrounds, I feel as though I am entering a mammoth, makeshift circus tent, in a remote area, as the buildings surrounding this enclosed marquee are all quiet.
But this warehouse is where all the action is.
Through a casual entrance, I come upon a semi-circle seated area, with chairs on the ground and behind it. Up a sequence of stairs, one can sit higher at a benched area to gain a wider scope of the circus action that will soon be displayed onstage.
The show? The Australian premiere of The Fijian Flying Circus, by internationally renowned Fijian contemporary dance troupe ‘VOU Dance Fiji’. Presented by Fijian Airways, this high-octane circus-infused show celebrates the joyous, cultural storytelling of traditional Fijian heritage, but with a modern edge.
There are drum-filled African beats. Tumbling and twirling through the air. Masterful ring tosses and jugglers giving things a spin. Hair-hanging trapeze artistry. Tightrope walking. Smiles for miles lighting up the stage. And on top of that? A cute Pacific-themed storyline, featuring mischievous mythical creatures, playful tribesmen, and an ongoing to-and-fro tryst between friends Loma and Tui – about a pair of magical shoes.
A clever, simple storyline that weaves in well with the mythical story Loma embarks and stumbles upon. A descent into a mystical book – to a wondrous world filled with acrobatic forest spirits. Beautiful island singing. Stilted female giants. Dancing fabled creatures. All springing forth from a harmonious, rhythmic world of Fiji’s Pacific flora and fauna.
And the cast are all in on the joy and laughter too.
There are funny whistling antics to get the audience laughing and clapping along. There are high-energy drummers wishing to continue their energetic stomping, much to the dismay of female cast members doubling over with mock-exhaustion. There is even a few bars of Neil Diamond’s iconic song, ’Sweet Caroline’ thrown in at the end of the show for good measure – to the delight of the audience to sing and clap along to.
In all, this show was bold, daring, and willing to go beyond its limits. In particular, the Emcee of the show, was so full of passion for his and his company’s artistry. As a troupe, they are deeply dedicated to connecting with audiences and telling their unique brand of storytelling in a modern, heart-stopping way.
The Fijian Flying Circus? Is simply a spectacle of joy. Driving home the idea that the human emotions of happiness, silliness and clowning around can indeed transcend language, culture and even heritage.
That as long we can connect as humans in curiosity, in hope and in wonder; then is that not simply enough for our spirits to thrive in this ever changing world?
I think so.
With high-flying aerial stunts, modern dance lifts, and bouncy beats of twerking thrown in, Fijian Flying Circus is literally an otherworldly experience, and is worth the trip to the Showgrounds to enjoy this lucky ride.
When a young girl is banished from her village under the order from the village chief – who happens to be her father, what is a girl to do?
Does she sit in submission, staying stagnant and stuck? Or does she long to fly, fly away, to discover her own adventures beyond the tight fortress of her village home?
The exploration of this story arc is quite common in nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Beauty and the Beast, Alice In Wonderland and even The Little Mermaid come to mind. For this is the journey of self-discovery. When a young girl longs to break free from the confines of her protective home.
In ‘Fiji Untold’, this arc is told via the beauty of Fijian contemporary dance, under a sea of misty blue and yellow light. Where a bright and cheery dance troupe of villagers sing and chant within a dreamy forest landscape. Through sharp, co-ordinated movements, they begin telling the tale of a local village girl Lagi, the chief’s daughter, who resembles an innocent young village princess dressed fanciful In a white and blue printed costume.
But things are not always so stagnant as they seem.
When Lagi dares to break the rules of the traditional Meke dance, and not follow vital instructions, things get complicated.
In repeatedly leaping and pirouetting like a ballerina; even as the villagers try to settle her energy down by lifting her on a giant mat, as if to contain her, she cannot be stopped. As free as a flying bird – her disapproving father and community are at a loss of what to do with her.
So, their choice is simple.
Her tribal clothing is removed. Her head bows down in shame. They banish Lagi to the bamboo forest and she runs straight into the unknown. A adventure all her own, where she meets a plethora of creatures great and small.
An old witch. A menacing, female snake. Mythical sticks held by creatures lure her over a makeshift ladder, straight into the realms of the underworld, where she falls to the floor in a spotlight of white.
But in order to learn her lessons, she must face some challenging scenarios. Namely, facing mythical creatures from Pacific folklore.
Firstly, in the spiritual form, she meets five majestically tall women on stilts, looking like giants overhead. Their beautiful costumes shimmer under red lights. A bit demonic and larger-than-life, keen to teach her their ways. Suddenly, mythical creatures appear and circle her, trying to put a spell on her. Another giant whispers in her ear. Slowly, she also transforms into a giant woman.
When her costume disappears, a male creature tries to attack her. She knocks him out, and the other creatures drop their weapons.
Lastly, we meet a colourful, pink-haired, shape-shifting iguana. But he is peaceful, handing Lagi two magical sticks that, culturally speaking, are embodied with mana—spiritual energy. The kind of Chi, a positive universal life force, that helps her realise she must correct her wrongs, discover her power and come back home with forgiveness in her heart.
Fiji Untold is a vibrant show to watch, blending traditional Fijian folklore with bold, contemporary dance and spiritual, mana-driven storytelling. With beautiful costumes featuring tribal touches of spiky-straw detailing, handwoven straw spear-shaped fans, ornate hairstyles and tribal bone necklaces.
These dancers are so skilled at create mystical shapes so effortlessly. Using ornately-made props and hand movements in synch, they can transform any scene into one of legendary beauty, featuring mythical animals and folkloric beasts.
Combining high-octane theatrics and moving scenes, Fiji Untold by globally-acclaimed VOU Dance Fiji is a beautiful, cultural extravaganza that would no doubt be enjoyed by many.
Up the stairs of the multi-story landmark Clocktower building in Moonee Ponds, I come upon a theatre studio lit up in bright primary colours, complete with a giant matted floor, and two rows of seats at the back. With prams parked downstairs in the entrance hall, hoards of parents gladly seat themselves criss-crossed in these roomy surroundings, with their babies and toddlers in tow, eagerly awaiting ‘Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland’, a musical adventure for infant and tots, to begin.
Among the ohhhs and ahhhs, I am enamoured by a set decorated in pure Australiana. Encompassing a journey over land and sea, a tree is bedecked in thick foliage, representing the Australian bush. An underwater vista set piece is sitting upright, representing the Great Barrier Reef. And finally, a mountain-shaped cutout is brimming with sparkly perfection, representing the Snowy Mountains. A resounding set design, simple yet effective; not unlike ABC’s Playschool, or the imaginary magical kingdom set in Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood.
The show begins naturally, gaining the children’s attention with singer and musician Jackson Peele kneeling on the floor with a guitar in hand, dressed in a tracksuit in purple, green and blue hues. Beside him is the show’s star and co-creator, Coach Mon, played by Monique Warren, similarly dressed in a sports hat and uniform wearing green, red and purple. Together, they begin the show in an intuitive fashion, milling around and interacting with the mums, caregivers and toddlers as everyone is still walking in. Feeling as if we will be playing an active role in this upcoming adventure.
Once the door closes, Coach Mon and Jackson start singing a welcome song, pleasantly and gently, warming up the audience and harmonising well. They teach the children to wiggle their fingers and touch their toes. Coach Mon has a beautiful light and poppy voice, drawing the toddlers in with her animated facial expressions and fun, sharp choreography.
The story begins as Coach Mon and Jackson talk about the galaxy, and the stars that light up the night sky. ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ begins, and everyone joins in. Suddenly, a shooting star crash lands on the stage. They pick it up and a rendition of ‘Little Star’ is then sung, asking where she’s come from, and if she is lost. With a tinkling noise, we discover the star’s name is Stella, and in her fall, she has lost three missing pieces. Coach Mon decides to help Stella find them, so she can fly back out and shine once again in the universal skies.
So ‘off on an adventure’ we go, by singing ‘Walking in the bush’ to find her missing pieces. Where lovely bird sounds are heard, along with ‘Leaves blowing in the wind’, as Coach Mon grabs some bushes off the tree and bounds through the pathways of children – to rustle the bushes on the ground as she walks around.
Creating an exciting sensory experience, the children look up enthralled, as the Old MacDonald nursery rhyme begins to play, with the words updated to reflect the animals seen in the Australian bush: like Kangaroos, Wombats and Koalas. As ‘Ei-ei-oh’ is sung out, a little girl starts hopping up and down out front, as a toddler claps her little hands. As Coach Mon mimics each animal, the children are having an absolute ball. It is so heartwarming to see.
Suddenly? Behind the bush tree – they find a piece of the star. As they shake it, a sound tinkles. They put it back on Stella. But two more pieces are still missing.
And so we venture underwater, with Coach Mon cleverly adding swimming lesson movements. Suddenly, a large sheet of lightweight blue fabric is held by both Coach Mon and Jackson, who manage to float it above the children all around the room, as if the children are sitting under the waves of the ocean. Singing a classic underwater song, we are in the ‘Great Barrier Reef’. But that’s not all. For a surprise ensues, enlightening our morning audience with a huge sparkly jellyfish, who floats ever so gently around the room to an amazing effect. Then lastly? A fish is held blowing bubbles out, to great delight, encouraging the tots to pop the bubbles with their hands for further sensory joy, all under the guise of blue oceanic lights.
After another piece is found? We head up on a steep walk, to the Snowy Mountains, delightfully displayed by Coach Mon and Jackson, who pretend to climb up either side of the mountain cutout, two-by-two, with their fingers.
Suddenly, the temperature drops, and Coach Mon throws out netted white cloths to be used as snowflakes, encouraging parents and kids to wave these cloths up and down. Icy winds are blowing as they sing ‘I’m a little snowflake’ – asking toddlers to touch their face, nose and toes with the freezing snowflake. Then to count to 3, and ‘throw your snowflake back to me‘.
To the children and parent’s delight, the final piece is found, a child yells out, ‘great job’ – and the whole audience laughs uproariously.
As we wave goodbye, Stella is sent back up to the sky. A sweet and heartwarming finale to a great Australian adventure. Ending with a beautiful line, ‘Our friend Stella is now shining down on us.’
All in all, I would highly recommend any parent to bring their child along and be bedazzled by this sweet and delightful show. Hats-off to director and co-creator Laura Aldous for making this children’s production polished and professional, as it contained all the enchanting elements of toddlerdom combined. The children all bopped and danced in dreamy landscapes with smooth transitions, a classic warm up and goodbye song; sensory surprises; kids encouraged to sing and dance, and movement coached clearly throughout. What was especially lovely was the music and singing being so natural and gentle, with an acoustic guitar and no backing tracks. I also loved the Australian landmarks, animals, bush songs and references used across the show, making this production unique for parents, carers and children of all ages.
A thrilling new adventure from the minds behind GATSBY at The Green Light
The swashbuckling spectacular Hook’s Neverland sails into the Concert Hall this summer for its world premiere, with the irrepressible Captain James Hook at its helm. Forget the boy who wouldn’t grow up: this tale is all Hook’s as he flips that well-trod legend of villainy and introduces a world filled with reverie and wonderment. With his right-hand man Smee, and a maverick Tinkerbell causing trouble along the way, Hook guides audiences through an unforgettable journey filled with circus, illusions, humour and tomfoolery. A raucous carnival of extraordinary performers will astonish and delight in this voyage across the realms of Neverland, from the waters of Mermaid Lagoon to the decks of the Jolly Roger.
Captain Hook and his motley crew cast off into the high seas, juggling and teetering towards a luminous Fairyland, where soaring aerials ignite mischief and whimsy. Tripping into the Lost Boys Hideout, they find themselves in a riotous underground world, with high-energy acrobatics echoing the thrumming chaos of childhood, before diving into an underwater paradise filled with sirens and suspense. In Skull Rock, Hook weaves his way across a knife-edge of danger as he tries to evade the relentless crocodile.
Shaped by the imaginations of Craig Ilott, Stuart Couzens (GATSBY at The Green Light and L’Hotel) with Neil Dorward – known for directing theatrical extravaganzas (Circus1903, The Illusionists and Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple) – this bold and enchanting production will thrill the young and the young at heart. The show will be brought to life by an exhilarating, cinematic score from Evan Duffy, composer for Cirque Du Soleil’s Auana as well as film franchises such as Now You See Me.
Director Neil Dorward says: “What excites me about Hook’s Neverland is taking a world we all think we know and completely turning it on its head. We’re bringing together an outstanding international cast of entertainers in circus, magic, comedy and variety, alongside dazzling visual effects, to create a Neverland full of danger, mischief, adventure and possibility. I’m incredibly excited to return to the Sydney Opera House with a brand-new production, and I can’t wait for audiences to step into our Neverland for the first time.”
Sydney Opera House Head of Contemporary Performance Harry Prouse says: “Every year, we look for remarkable, large-scale work that matches the daring of the Opera House itself, and Hook’s Neverland is exactly that. This circus of the imagination – led by a cunning, scene-stealing Hook – brings together a first-rate line-up of acrobats, high-flyers and illusionists to transform our Concert Hall into Neverland itself. From the creative minds behind some of the world’s most breathtaking theatrical productions, it’s the perfect addition to our summer program, and a chance for audiences of every age to experience childlike wonder under our Sails.”
KEY INFORMATION
WHAT: Hook’s Neverland
WHEN: 9 January – 17 January 2027
WHERE: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
FOR: Ages 8+
PRICES: From $74.90 plus $8.95 booking fee
PRE SALE: 9am, Tuesday 1 September
WHAT’S ON: 9am, Wednesday 2 September
GENERAL PUBLIC: 9am, Friday 4 September
Spread the word on your favourite platform!
Subscribe to What's The Show
Reviews, show news and what is on, straight to your inbox.
