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Fruit Flies take circus to the world
by Stephanie Secomb
Twenty-six years ago, in the border town of Albury-Wodonga, an old clothes factory came alive with a riot of noise, colour and creativity. From small beginnings came the Flying Fruit Fly Circus—and what a journey it has been!
While most eight to 18 year olds expect to go home at the end of a school day, for the ‘Fruit Flies', the final bell signals circus time—and their entry into an enchanted world of cloud swings, hoops and high wires, magic, tumbling and contortion.
For its 70+ young performers, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus offers the chance to develop physical fitness, make life-long friends and build confidence and self-esteem.
The Fruit Flies have become a much-loved part of the Albury-Wodonga arts community and the circus is now renowned as one of the world's premier youth performing arts companies.
Yet it remains strongly rooted in its regional community and the fact that many of the Fruit Flies are from regional Australia adds to the appeal of their shows.
‘The kids have a certain kind of larrikinism because they are from the country,' says artistic director, Kim Walker. ‘It gives the company a certain kind of charm.'
Charming indeed! Their larrikinism, youthful exuberance and energetic fearlessness wowed a global audience at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The Fruit Flies have also sold out a five week season in New York and toured to locations as far-flung and varied as Italy, Canada, Hawaii and the Indigenous communities of remote Far North Queensland. For the hard-working kids of Australia's only full-time junior circus training school, all the world's a big top.
During 2005 the Fruit Flies have continued to impress audiences with their latest project, Les Clowns Tristes . A ground-based show, it tells the story of a group of sad, old clowns whose once magnificent heyday is long gone. Each day they gather in the cold city streets, hoping against hope that they will make enough money to eat that night. Once in front of an audience though, the clowns shrug off their sorrows and relive their glory days.
Following the successful staging of the exciting new work Les Clowns Tristes at Sydney's acrobatic and street theatre festival, Hoopla Darling Harbour, the Fruit Flies performed the work at the 2005 World Exposition in Japan—astounding and delighting people from around the globe.
The young artists of the Flying Fruit Fly Circus can certainly thrill an audience and, with each highly skilled performance, their star shines brighter.
For the opportunity to access conventional education combined with circus training, children can apply for a place in the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School.
For information about entry to the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School visit www.fruitflyschool.vic.edu.au
or call 02 6024 2384.
For information about the circus visit www.fruitflycircus.com.au or call 02 6021 7044.