A high-octane spree of physical virtuosity, Backbone tests the limits of strength: physical, emotional, individual and collective.
Staged with a deceptively DIY aesthetic and dispensing of trickery and distraction, this is circus that goes straight for the jugular and leaves no viewer unmoved. Backbone is the culmination of all that's gone before: a celebration of human connectedness and the meaning of strength, its athletic appeal is run through with a conceptual brilliance that elevates it to a new level.
Trailer
Gallery
The Making of Backbone
Sticks & Stones is a documentary series made by Carnival Cinema about GOM’s history and the making of Backbone. Watch It Here
A complex performance that wouldn’t be out of place on the world stage.The Adelaide Review
A glorious flow of action and reaction … The acrobatics are eloquent and sensational, full of original twists that spell out a new language.The Advertiser
Magnetic world premiere, a perfect combination of fluidity, mettle and danger … The sheer strength of body and character needed to round out this frenzied performance demonstrates a discipline and camaraderie, rarely seen on stage. Simply a joy to watch.Limelight Magazine
Circus, as you’ve never seen it before, pushed to its conceptual and cerebral limits. A genre-defying, thought-provoking, visual extravaganza … so intensely beautiful it makes you proud to be human.InDaily
Credits
Director
Darcy Grant
Set & Lighting Designer
Geoff Cobham
Creative Associate
Triton Tunis-Mitchell
Composers & Musicians
Elliot Zoerner & Shenton Gregory
Creative Ensemble
Jacob Randell, Jascha Boyce, Lachlan Binns, Mieke Lizotte, Lewie West, Martin Schreiber, Joanne Curry, Lachlan Harper, Lewis Rankin, Jackson Manson
Current Ensemble
Alyssa Moore, Annalise Moore, Axel Osborne, Benton Adams-Walker, Jackson Manson, Jacob Randell, Jordan Hart, Kevin Beverley, Lachlan Harper, Megan Giesbrecht, Nick Martyn, Sonja Schebeck
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government’s Major Festivals Initiative in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc., Adelaide Festival, Sydney Festival and Melbourne Festival.
May 16 - 17
New YorkUnited States
Lincoln Center
March 1
PoissyFrance
Théâtre de Poissy
March 2
RambouilletFrance
La Lanterne
March 5 - 6
AlèsFrance
Le Cratère | Scène nationale d’Ales
March 8
Le CreusotFrance
L'arc scène national Le Creusot
March 9
DoleFrance
Les Scènes du Jura
March 12
OyonnaxFrance
L'Ain, Aragon Cultural Center
March 14 - 16
La RochelleFrance
La Coursive
March 19
LanesterFrance
MAIRIE DE LANESTER
March 20 - 21
La Roche sur YonFrance
Le Grand R
March 22 - 23
LavalFrance
Le Théâtre de Laval
March 26
CachanFrance
Théâtre Jacques Carat
May 8
EttelbruckLuxembourg
CAPE
May 11 - 12
LeuvenBelgium
CIRKL
January 14
Saint-DizierFrance
Les Fuseaux
January 17 - 19
GrenobleFrance
Maison da la Culture de Grenoble
January 21
SallanchesFrance
Room Léon Curral
January 24 - 25
DouaiFrance
TANDEM Scène nationale / Hippodrome de Douai
January 29
FribourgSwitzerland
Equilibre-Nuithonie
January 31 - 1
Annemasse, Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesFrance
Chateau Rouge
February 3 - 4
VillejuifFrance
Romain Rolland Theater
February 7
Le Grand-QuevillyFrance
Théâtre Charles Dullin
February 9
Joué-lès-ToursFrance
Espace Malraux
February 11
Boulogne-BillancourtFrance
Carré Belle-Feuille
February 15 - 16
CharleroiBelgium
Palais des Beaux Arts de Charleroi
September 30 - October 1
KochiJapan
The Museum of Art
January 11
CébazatFrance
Semaphore Cebazat
January 12
CussetFrance
Théâtre de Cusset
January 14
Clichy sous BoisFrance
L'espace 93
January 16
Plessis RobinsonFrance
Theéâtre DE L’Allegria
January 18
Noisy le GrandFrance
January 22
RungisFrance
Theatre De Rungis
January 27 - 29
Le HavreFrance
Le Volcan - Grande salle
February 3 - 4
MérignacFrance
Le Pin Galant
February 6
BiarritzFrance
Gare Du Midi
February 8
Mont de MarsanFrance
Le Pôle
February 11 - 12
BlagnacFrance
Odyssud Blagnac
February 15 - 18
NîmesFrance
Théâtre de Nîmes
February 25 - 26
Saint-DenisFrance
TEAT ile de La Réunion
March 2
ArendalNorway
Arendal Kulturhus
March 5
NøtterøyNorway
Nøtterøy Kulturhus
March 10
SkienNorway
Ibsenhuset
March 16 - 17
BærumNorway
Bærum Kulturhus
March 20
DrammenNorway
Drammen
March 25 - 26
Aix-en-ProvenceFrance
Grand Théâtre de Provence
March 29 - April 6
LyonFrance
Maison de la Danse
April 8
Saint MaximeFrance
Carré Léon Gaumont
April 22
HaugesundNorway
Haugesund Konserthus
April 24
StavangerNorway
Stavanger Konserthus
April 28
LarvikNorway
Larvik
April 30
MossNorway
Moss Kulturhus
August 15 - 21
StuttgartGermany
Theaterhaus Stuttgart
August 26 - 27
HullEngland
Freedom Festival
August 31 - September 1
HeerlenNetherlands
Festival Cultura Nova
September 8 - 11
BallerupDenmark
Baltoppen Live
September 16 - 18
DusseldorfGermany
Dusseldorf Festival
October 13 - 15
Canberra, ACTAustralia
The Playhouse
October 18
Bathurst, NSWAustralia
Ian MacIntosh Theatre
October 22
Wyong, NSWAustralia
The Art House
October 25 - 26
Newcastle, NSWAustralia
Newcastle Civic Theatre
October 29
Taree, NSWAustralia
Manning Entertainment Centre
October 31 - November 1
Pt Macquarie, NSWAustralia
Glasshouse
November 9 - 10
Bendigo, VICAustralia
Ulumbarra Theatre
November 12
Frankston, VICAustralia
Frankston Arts Centre
November 27 - 28
St.PöltenAustria
Festspielhaus
December 3 - 5
BallerupDenmark
BALTOPPEN Live
December 9 - 23
SalzburgAustria
Winterfest
January 7 - 8
MâconFrance
La Scène Nationale
January 11 - 12
CergyFrance
Nouvelle Scène Nationale
January 14 - 15
Caluire et CuireFrance
Le Radiant Bellevue
January 17
FréjusFrance
Théâtre le Forum
January 18
Fos sur MerFrance
Théâtre
January 21
LillebonneFrance
Centre Culturel Juliobona
January 24
MorgesSwitzerland
Théâtre Beausobre
February 5
St.Therese, QCCanada
Théâtre Lionel-Groulx
February 12
Saint John, NBCanada
Imperial Theatre
February 14
Fredericton, NBCanada
The Playhouse
March 14 - 17
AucklandNew Zealand
Auckland Festival
March 24
KarlskronaSweden
Konserthusteatern
March 27
SundsvallSweden
Tonhallen
March 30
PiteåSweden
Nolia City Konferens
April 1
UmeåSweden
Folkets Hus
April 3 - 4
ÖstersundSweden
Storsjöteatern
April 7
SäffleSweden
Medborgarhuset
April 9
SkövdeSweden
Stadsteatern
April 10
VaraSweden
Vara Konserthus
April 12 - 13
GöteborgSweden
Stora Teatern
April 14
KungsbackaSweden
Kungsbacka Teater
April 16
BoråsSweden
Borås Stadsteater
May 1 - 2
BusanSouth Korea
Busan Cultural Center
May 2 - 3
AnyangSouth Korea
Anyang Arts Centre
May 8
GwangmyeongSouth Korea
Gwangmyeong Citizen's Hall
May 11 - 12
UijeongbuSouth Korea
Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival
May 15 - 17
BrightonEngland
Brighton Festival
May 24
HelsinkiFinland
Cirko Festival
June 5 - 8
São PauloBrazil
Sesc Pinheiros
July 6 - 8
AmsterdamNetherlands
Royal Theater Carré
July 12 - 13
BarcelonaSpain
Grec Festival
July 31 - August 26
EdinburghScotland
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
September 12
DelftNetherlands
Theater de Veste
September 13
HaarlemNetherlands
Stadsschouwburg Zaal
September 18 - 21
KarlsruheGermany
Tollhaus
October 11 - 12
Stanford, CAUnited States
Memorial Auditorium
October 18 - 19
Irvine, CAUnited States
Irvine Barclay Theatre
October 25 - 26
Santa Monica, CAUnited States
The Broad Stage
November 2
Vernon, BCCanada
Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre
November 7 - 8
Medicine Hat, BACanada
Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre
November 13
Prince Albert, SKCanada
EA Rawlinson Centre
November 16
Camrose, ABCanada
Camrose Performing Arts Centre
November 18
Fort Saskatchewan, ABCanada
Dow Centennial Centre, Shell Theatre
November 21 - 24
Fort McMurray, ABCanada
Keyano College Theatre & Arts Centre
November 28 - 29
Châlons-en-ChampagneFrance
La Comète Scène Nationale
December 6 - 29
ParisFrance
La Villette
January 16 - 21
SydneyAustralia
Sydney Festival
February 17
BrisbaneAustralia
Brisbane Powerhouse
April 14
WhyallaAustralia
Middleback Arts Centre
May 30
Charleston, SCUnited States
Sploleto Festival
June 13 - 14
SibiuRomania
Sibiu International Theatre Festival
June 21
PragueCzech Republic
Jatka78
June 27
LuxembourgLuxembourg
Wiltz Festival
June 30 - July 1
KortrijkBelgium
PERPLX
July 5 - 14
MontrealCanada
Montreal Completement Cirque
July 17 - 21
GalwayIreland
Galway Arts Festival
July 19
StuttgartGermany
Theaterhaus Stuttgart
August 1 - 5
WolfsburgGermany
Autostadt Summer Festival
August 14 - 19
LondonEngland
Southbank Centre
September 27 - 29
BudapestHungary
Trafo
October 3
TurnhoutBelgium
De Warande
October 4
Heist-op-den-BergBelgium
Zwaneberg
October 5
RoeselareBelgium
De Spil - Roeselare
October 6
AalstBelgium
Cultuurcentrum Aalst
October 7
BeverenBelgium
Cultuur Centrum Beveren
October 11
AmersfoortNetherlands
Rabobank Theater Hall
October 12
EindhovenNetherlands
Park Theatre
October 13
DrachtenNetherlands
Schouwburg De Lawei
October 14
UtrechtNetherlands
Stadsschouwburg
October 18
MontbéliardFrance
The Mals – Theater Sochaux
October 20
RotterdamNetherlands
Theatre Rotterdam
October 23
DiestBelgium
CC Den Amer
October 26 - 27
GenkBelgium
Cirq C-mine
October 30 - November 4
VancouverCanada
Vancouver Playhouse Theatre
November 14
MontrealCanada
CINARS Biennale
December 18 - January 6
GrazAustria
Cirque Noël
March 14 - 19
AdelaideAustralia
Adelaide Festival
May 25 - 28
MarlGermany
Ruhrfestspiele - Theater Marl
June 4
TrutnovCzech Republic
CirkUFF
August 17 - 21
GroningenNetherlands
Noorderzon Festival
October 4 - 8
MelbourneAustralia
Melbourne Festival