The World premiere of Son produced by Circa Cairns, a First Nations-led contemporary circus ensemble, promised to be an exciting amalgamation of movement, physical theatre, storytelling and song.

But what we got lacked entertainment value, in part thanks to some limited schoolyard acrobatics and prolonged dissonant scenes in a sea of darkness.

Circa Cairns: Son. Photo © David Kelly

Yaron Lifschitz, the Artistic Director of Circa, describes Son as, “A fresh work, taut with the tensions of being a son, of being Blak, Queer and from somewhere else. It is exactly the sort of bold, unconventional ambition we hoped for when we first imagined Circa Cairns”.

Son is the brainchild of Wakka Wakka man Harley Mann, the Artistic Director and one of the four male acrobatic performers. Mann also founded the spectacular Na Dijinang Circus, nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Circus. He describes Son as challenging the Western idea of the family unit by celebrating culture and queerness.

A beautiful and tender opening scene showcases the fabulous harmonies of the female First Nations music group Kardajala Kirridarra, sung in Mudburra from the Northern Territory. Kardajala Kirridarra translates as “Sandhill Women” – mysterious bush...