The Rainforest Circus is a creative, eccentric performance that incorporates theatre, music, poetry, art and acrobatics among the trees. Anything can happen — each show is unique.
At first it took place at Deer Crossing, the art farm, and in later years in Shirley Macey Park near Gibsons. The Synchronicity Festival was built around this focal point.
It’s a powerful group of artists who put on the Rainforest Circus, said the art farm’s Chad Hershler. Local sound design artist and musician Steve Wright will be there again along with a few of the kids he works with — possibly the next generation of circus performers. Aerial acrobatics are a hit, acro dancing takes place at ground level this year, there is always story-telling and song. And who knows what interesting installations will appear? There will be more masks this year, and Sandy Buck of the art farm is busy building puppets.
Every one of the artists loves doing the circus every year, and judging by the line-ups for their performances, the audience likes it too.
“It was the artists who asked, ‘Are we going to grow it? Are we going to tour it?’” Hershler said.
Going on the theory that the more challenges the more fun, the group decided to take it on the road, well, to Sechelt anyway. They open in Porpoise Bay Provincial Park on Saturday, Aug. 16, with three performances at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. and again on Aug. 17 at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.
Moving to a different forested area bring its own set of logistic and artistic tasks to work out in advance. Some sequencing of events may change as acrobats must find a certain group of trees to hang on and organizers must find gathering places for the audience.
“We love that stuff,” Hershler said. “That’s how we keep it alive.”
When the circus group gets together to draft out their show, they resist the desire to follow a narrative. That way the story takes place in the imagination of the audience and allows for the unpredictable. If a bird flies in to the performance, it becomes part of the story.
The theme this year is Underworld. Is it scary? “You bring your own fears with you,” Buck said. “Know that we would never take the audience where it’s not safe.”
You’ll be guided along the way, and may discover the peace that the forest brings.
One aspect of Porpoise Bay Park is that it is accessible with smoother, level paths for those who had difficulty clambering through Shirley Macey’s hillside area. It costs $5 for a child, $10 for adults, and all tickets are sold on site. Children under seven are free.
The Rainforest Circus returns to Gibsons for the Synchronicity Festival that runs Aug. 22 to 24.
There have been some changes there, too. “It’s gone from three to eight on the Richter scale of festivals,” said Hershler. Synchronicity began as pleasant surroundings in a park to provide audience with entertainment while they waited to see the circus. It grew and changed, as artistic endeavours do, into an array of art, food and nature. This year it goes big — with a packed line-up of main stage music, a mural project and interesting workshops.
There’s a fee to get in the gates this time — that’s also new: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and $25 for a family of four. If you haven’t got the bucks, consider volunteering. You can apply on the website: www.synchronicityfestival.ca.
