Circus Oz

Circus Oz
Company type	Collective owned by its Members
Industry	Entertainment, Circus arts
Founded	9 February 1978; 48 years ago in Melbourne, Australia
Founder	Sue Broadway, Tony Burkys, Tim Coldwell, John ‘Jack’ Daniel, Laurel Frank, Kelvin Gedye, Jon Hawkes, Ponch Hawkes, Robin Laurie, John Pinder, Michael Price, Alan Robertson, Jim Robertson, Pixie Robertson, Helen Sky, Jim Conway, Mic Conway, Rick Ludbrook, Peter Mulheisen, Gordon McLean, Steve Cooney, Colin Stevens
Headquarters	Collingwood, Australia
Area served	Worldwide (210 cities in 29 countries)
Key people	Linda Mickleborough (Co-CEO), Mike Finch (Co-CEO), Tim Coldwell (Co-CEO)
Products	Contemporary circus performances combining circus arts, theatrical storytelling, satire and rock music
Number of employees	12 performers (ensemble up to 2017)
Parent	None
Website	www.circusoz.com

Circus Oz is a contemporary circus troupe from Australia, collectively owned by its Members and established in 1978. Their performances uniquely combine elements of circus arts, theatrical storytelling, satire, rock music, and a distinctly Australian sense of humour.

Formation and Early Development

Established on 9 February 1978 in Melbourne, Circus Oz was launched with financial support from the Australian Performing Group. Its inaugural season took place in March of the same year. The company emerged through the fusion of two pre-existing ensembles: the New Ensemble Circus, which had roots in Adelaide's New Circus founded in 1973, and the Soapbox Circus, a touring show created by the Australian Performing Group in 1976.

Among the original founders were Sue Broadway, Tony Burkys, Tim Coldwell, John ‘Jack’ Daniel, Laurel Frank, Kelvin Gedye, Jon Hawkes, Ponch Hawkes, Robin Laurie, John Pinder, Michael Price, Alan Robertson, Jim Robertson, Pixie Robertson, Helen Sky, Jim Conway, Mic Conway, Rick Ludbrook, Peter Mulheisen, Gordon McLean, Steve Cooney, and Colin Stevens.

Significant early achievements included a 32-week engagement in 1979 at Melbourne’s Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant; their first international tour in 1980 which featured performances at London’s Roundhouse as well as venues in Belgium and New Guinea; the "Nanjing Project," a collaboration involving training with Chinese acrobats; and partnerships with The Flying Fruit Fly Circus. Over time, Circus Oz has performed in more than 210 cities across 29 countries worldwide, including prominent locations such as New York City, London, and Jerusalem.

Originally managed as a collective entity, by the late 1990s Circus Oz transitioned to a three-person executive leadership structure. This Triple Executive consisted of Co-CEO Linda Mickleborough (who served as general manager from 1993 until 2012), who spearheaded initiatives like expanding Circus Oz Classes, High Flying Teams, Indigenous programs, and overseeing the move to new Collingwood facilities; Co-CEO Mike Finch (artistic director from 1997 to 2015); alongside founding member Tim Coldwell. The organisation continues to be owned by its Membership and governed by a Board of Directors. Notable past Board Chairs include Trish Caswell, Vic Marles, and Wendy McCarthy.

Core Principles

From its inception, the founders sought to develop a "contemporary circus" that integrated rock'n'roll energy with popular theatre and satirical elements. The company has consistently upheld a commitment to social justice issues, actively supporting causes such as women's rights, Indigenous Australian land rights, and opposing indefinite detention policies affecting asylum seekers.

Productions

Distinguished as one of the pioneering contemporary circuses free of animal acts—preceding even Cirque du Soleil—Circus Oz featured a troupe of twelve versatile performers who took charge of every aspect of their shows. Their talents spanned acrobatics, clowning, musical performance, and aerial artistry. The productions were known for their character-driven narratives that combined humour and subversion while maintaining a balanced representation across gender and age groups.

Touring extensively across five continents and more than 27 countries, Circus Oz has performed at prestigious venues including multiple seasons on New York City’s 42nd Street; London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall and Royal Festival Hall; refugee camps in the West Bank; Indigenous Australian communities; and even a glass opera house situated within the Brazilian rainforest. Their shows have been adapted into several languages like Hindi, Catalan, and Danish. The company set box office records at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and served as Australia’s representative at numerous international festivals.

Prior to the 2006 Laughing at Gravity tour, Circus Oz generally did not assign specific titles to their seasons or tours—with the exception of Waiter, There's a Circus in My Soup in 1979. Between 2006 and 2017, they adopted an annual naming convention for tours. During Artistic Director Rob Tannion’s tenure (2016–2019), the company embraced a multi-show approach.

Laughing at Gravity (2006)
Barely Contained (2009–2010)
See It To Believe It (2010)
Steampowered (2011–2012)
From the Ground Up (2012)
Cranked Up (2013)
But Wait...There's More (2014–2016)
Twentysixteen (2016)
Model Citizens (2017)
Precarious (2018–2019)
Rock Bang (2018–2019)
Wunderage (2019)
Non-Stop Energy (2023)
Smash It! (2024)
HAVOC (2024)

Ensemble

Up until 2017, Circus Oz maintained a dedicated ensemble of 12 full-time performers, balanced equally between men and women, supported by teams specializing in technical, production, and artistic areas. Besides touring activities, the organisation’s core initiatives comprised:

BLAKFlip, which fostered connections between Australian Aboriginal artists and circus through masterclasses, casting opportunities, performances, traineeships, and guest artist engagements;
Circus Classes, providing circus skills training accessible to adults, educational institutions, and community groups;
The Melba Spiegeltent, a venue designed for cabaret shows, experimental performances, and community gatherings;
SideSault, a Sector Support Programme offering rehearsal and performance spaces to small and medium-sized local groups utilizing circus language;
High Flying Teams, a corporate team-building and development programme that incorporates circus techniques.

"New" premises

At the end of 2013, Circus Oz relocated to a purpose-built facility situated in Collingwood, Melbourne. Although owned by the Victorian Government, the building was custom-fitted to meet Circus Oz’s specific requirements. It includes a permanent Spiegeltent, rehearsal studios, outdoor areas, and workshop spaces. This location occupies half of a former college campus site; the other half was transformed into the multi-arts precinct known as Collingwood Yards, which opened in March 2021.

The closure that never came

In December 2021, plans were announced by Circus Oz’s Board and CEO to wind down operations following demands from the Australia Council for structural reforms or withdrawal of funding. The proposed adjustments involved reducing representation of artists and former employees on the board—an approach conflicting with the company’s foundational values. An anonymous survey revealed that 62 out of 81 votes opposed the new governance model.

An independent assessment conducted by Creative Victoria alongside the Australia Council identified "systemic issues" hindering growth and recommended expanding membership criteria as well as establishing a skills-based board. This announcement caused significant concern among members. By January 2022, Circus Oz’s website suggested a shift in venue usage.

During an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 16 February 2022, members unanimously resolved to keep the company operational despite funding uncertainties and accepted resignations from board members, marking the beginning of a renewed phase for Circus Oz.

External links

The Circus Oz Living Archive (archived with limited access)