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.
Sexy but sincere, raw yet utterly disciplined, Backbone is proof you can't do the impossible without spending a little sweat.
A complex performance that wouldn’t be out of place on the world stage.
A glorious flow of action and reaction … The acrobatics are eloquent and sensational, full of original twists that spell out a new language.
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.
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.
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
Credits
Director: Darcy Grant
Set & Lighting Designer: Geoff Cobham
Creative Associate: Triton Tunis-Mitchell
Composers & Musicians: Elliot Zoerner & Shenton Gregory find the soundtrack here
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
Show Information
Show Duration: 80 minutes
Audience Suitability: General
Stage Size: Min 12m wide x 10m depth / Height clearance of 7m to grid
Venue: Designed for proscenium arch theatres with 600+ capacity
Complete description, touring budget, and technical specifications supplied on request.
Reviews of Backbone
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.
Touring History
- 2017Adelaide Festival - Adelaide, Australia
- 2017Ruhrfestspiele - Theater Marl - Marl, Germany
- 2017CirkUFF - Trutnov, Czech Republic
- 2017Noorderzon Festival - Groningen, Netherlands
- 2017Melbourne Festival - Melbourne Australia
- 2018Sydney Festival - Sydney, Australia
- 2018Brisbane Powerhouse - Brisbane, Australia
- 2018Middleback Arts Centre - Whyalla, Australia
- 2018Sploleto Festival - Charleston, SC, USA
- 2018Sibiu International Theatre Festival - Sibiu, Romania
- 2018Jatka78 - Prague, Czech Republic
- 2018Wiltz Festival - Luxembourg
- 2018PERPLX - Kortrijk, Belgium
- 2018Montreal Completement Cirque - Montreal, Canada
- 2018Galway Arts Festival - Galway, Ireland
- 2018Theaterhaus Stuttgart - Stuttgart, Germany
- 2018Autostadt Summer Festival - Wolfsburg, Germany
- 2018Southbank Centre - London, UK
- 2018Trafo - Budapest, Hungary
- 2018De Warande - Turnhout, Belgium
- 2018Zwaneberg - Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium
- 2018De Spil - Roeselare - Roeselare, Belgium
- 2018Cultuurcentrum Aalst - Aalst, Belgium
- 2018Cultuur Centrum Beveren - Beveren, Belgium
- 2018Rabobank Theater Hall - Amersfoort, Netherlands
- 2018Park Theatre - Eindhoven, Netherlands
- 2018Schouwburg De Lawei - Drachten, Netherlands
- 2018Stadsschouwburg - Utrecht, Netherlands
- 2018The Mals – Theater Sochaux - Montbéliard, France
- 2018Theatre Rotterdam - Rotterdam, Netherlands
- 2018CC Den Amer - Diest, Belgium
- 2018Cirq C-mine - Genk, Belgium
- 2018Vancouver Playhouse Theatre - Vancouver, Canada
- 2018CINARS Biennale - Montreal, Canada
- 2018Cirque Noël - Graz, Austria
- 2019Auckland Festival - Auckland, New Zealand
- 2019Konserthusteatern - Karlskrona, Sweden
- 2019Tonhallen - Sundsvall, Sweden
- 2019Nolia City Konferens - Piteå, Sweden
- 2019Folkets Hus - Umeå, Sweden
- 2019Storsjöteatern - Östersund, Sweden
- 2019Medborgarhuset - Säffle, Sweden
- 2019Stadsteatern - Skövde, Sweden
- 2019Vara Konserthus - Vara, Sweden
- 2019Stora Teatern - Göteborg, Sweden
- 2019Kungsbacka Teater - Kungsbacka, Sweden
- 2019Borås Stadsteater - Borås, Sweden
- 2019Busan Cultural Center - Busan, South Korea
- 2019Anyang Arts Centre - Anyang, South Korea
- 2019Gwangmyeong Citizen's Hall - Gwangmyeong, South Korea
- 2019Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival - Uijeongbu, South Korea
- 2019Brighton Festival - Brighton UK
- 2019Cirko Festival - Helsinki, Finland
- 2019Sesc Pinheiros - São Paulo, Brazil
- 2019Royal Theater Carré - Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2019Grec Festival - Barcelona, Spain
- 2019Edinburgh Fringe Festival - Edinburgh, Scotland
- 2019Theater de Veste - Delft, Netherlands
- 2019Stadsschouwburg Zaal - Haarlem, Netherlands
- 2019Tollhaus - Karlsruhe, Germany
- 2019Memorial Auditorium - Stanford, CA, USA
- 2019Irvine Barclay Theatre - Irvine, CA, USA
- 2019The Broad Stage - Santa Monica, CA, USA
- 2019Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre - Vernon, BC, Canada
- 2019Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre - Medicine Hat, BA, Canada
- 2019EA Rawlinson Centre - Prince Albert, SK, Canada
- 2019Camrose Performing Arts Centre - Camrose, AB, Canada
- 2019Dow Centennial Centre, Shell Theatre - Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
- 2019Keyano College Theatre & Arts Centre - Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
- 2019La Comète Scène Nationale - Châlons-en-Champagne, France
- 2019La Villette - Paris, France
- 2020La Scène Nationale - Mâcon, France
- 2020Nouvelle Scène Nationale - Cergy, France
- 2020Le Radiant Bellevue - Caluire et Cuire, France
- 2020Théâtre le Forum - Fréjus, France
- 2020Théâtre - Fos sur Mer, France
- 2020Centre Culturel Juliobona - Lillebonne, France
- 2020Théâtre Beausobre - Morges, Switzerland
- 2020Théâtre Lionel-Groulx - St.Therese, QC, Canada
- 2020Imperial Theatre - Saint John, NB, Canada
- 2020The Playhouse - Fredericton, NB, Canada
- 2021Festspielhaus - St.Pölten, Austria
- 2021BALTOPPEN Live - Ballerup, Denmark
- 2021Winterfest - Salzburg, Austria
- 2022Semaphore Cebazat - Cébazat, France
- 2022Théâtre de Cusset - Cusset, France
- 2022L'espace 93 - Clichy sous Bois, France
- 2022Theéâtre DE L’Allegria - Plessis Robinson, France
- 2022Noisy le Grand, France
- 2022Theatre De Rungis - Rungis, France
- 2022Le Volcan - Grande salle - Le Havre, France
- 2022Le Pin Galant - Mérignac, France
- 2022Gare Du Midi - Biarritz, France
- 2022Le Pôle - Mont de Marsan, France
- 2022Odyssud Blagnac - Blagnac, France
- 2022Théâtre de Nîmes - Nîmes, France
- 2022TEAT ile de La Réunion - Saint-Denis, Réunion
- 2022Arendal Kulturhus - Arendal, Norway
- 2022Nøtterøy Kulturhus - Nøtterøy, Norway
- 2022Ibsenhuset - Skien, Norway
- 2022Bærum Kulturhus - Bærum, Norway
- 2022Drammen - Drammen, Norway
- 2022Grand Théâtre de Provence - Aix-en-Provence, France
- 2022Maison de la Danse - Lyon, France
- 2022Carré Léon Gaumont - Saint Maxime, France
- 2022Haugesund Konserthus - Haugesund, Norway
- 2022Stavanger Konserthus - Stavanger, Norway
- 2022Larvik - Larvik, Norway
- 2022Moss Kulturhus - Moss, Norway
- October 13 - 15The Playhouse - Canberra, ACT, Australia
- September 8 - 11Baltoppen Live - Ballerup, Denmark
- August 31 - September 1Festival Cultura Nova - Heerlen, Netherlands
- October 31 - November 1Glasshouse - Pt Macquarie, NSW, Australia
- October 29Manning Entertainment Centre - Taree, NSW, Australia
- October 18Ian MacIntosh Theatre - Bathurst, NSW, Australia
- August 15 - 21Theaterhaus Stuttgart - Stuttgart, Germany
- October 25 - 26Newcastle Civic Theatre - Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- November 12Frankston Arts Centre - Frankston, VIC, Australia
- September 16 - 18Dusseldorf Festival - Dusseldorf, Germany
- August 26 - 27Freedom Festival - Hull, UK
- October 22The Art House - Wyong, NSW, Australia
- November 9 - 10Ulumbarra Theatre - Bendigo, VIC, Australia
- September 30 - October 1The Museum of Art - Kochi, Japan
- January 24 - 25TANDEM Scène nationale / Hippodrome de Douai - Douai, France
- January 31 - 1Chateau Rouge - Annemasse, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
- January 17 - 19Maison da la Culture de Grenoble - Grenoble, France
- February 9Espace Malraux - Joué-lès-Tours, France
- January 14Les Fuseaux - Saint-Dizier, France
- February 3 - 4Romain Rolland Theater - Villejuif, Île-de-France
- January 21Room Léon Curral - Sallanches, France
- February 11Carré Belle-Feuille - Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- February 15 - 16Palais des Beaux Arts de Charleroi - Charleroi, Belgium
- February 7Théâtre Charles Dullin - Le Grand-Quevilly, France
- January 29Equilibre-Nuithonie - Fribourg, Switzerland