Sydney Reviews

Animal by Cirque Alfonse is a quirky and masterful piece of circus theatre. From the moment the performers walk onto the stage it is clear that each has their own unique style and personality. When they come together as an eclectic collective, the fun begins. Live music and rhythm are the glue for this show, moving the narrative along, keeping time for the insane circus acts and allowing us an insight into the culture of the performers’ home land of Quebec.

David Simard composed the original songs for the show and performs the music along with Josianne Laporte and Guillaume Turcotte. The tempo is reminiscent of a bygone era when people worked the land and came together in the evenings, singing and dancing as a community. From folk songs to some spectacular yodeling, the sounds of this circus are toe tapping.

The story follows a farmer, Alain Carabinier, as he interacts with the animals and people that live on the farm. The animals provide the humour from dancing rubber chickens to delightful spinning bees. These left-of-field and ludicrous characters allow you to cope with the moments of intense physical theatre performed by the humans. A show when a blow-up dancing cow interrupts your seat gripping and leaves you asking “What is happening here?” is not to be missed.

Antoine Carabinier-Lépine, Julie Carabinier-Lépine, Alain Carabinier, Jonathan Casaubon, Jean-Philippe Cuerrier and Genevieve Morin make up this cast of highly talented professionals. In some acts if you look closely you may even catch a glimpse of the next generation of these strong and creative souls. The mastery of these performers lies in how they handle the unexpected. In a show where lives depend on precision – catching someone mid-air or placing a prop perfectly – small mistakes can be life-threatening. This seasoned group of performers has mastered adapting to mishaps, turning small errors into moments of humour or seamlessly pressing on. Their resilience keeps trust and focus intact for the high-stakes acts.

Animal is exact precision and dedication mixed with the bizarre and wonderful. Cirque Alfonse is superb fun for the whole family.