Two very different Jewish-led circuses are coming to town — one from Down Under, and one whose performers come from the animal kingdom.
Circa, the traveling Australian circus, will bring one of its newer works, “Humans 2.0,” to Sonoma on Oct. 25 and to on Stanford Nov. 1-3. This contemporary piece is not your traditional clown-and-juggling circus. It uses movement, modern dance and acrobatics to pose questions about the human condition.
Circa’s CEO and artistic director Yaron Lifschitz said his work is fundamentally guided by his Jewish background.
“Operationally and practically, my Jewish upbringing made me happy with questioning,” a major theme of his circus work, he said. Circus is a mode that plays with “energy, chutzpah, thrill and expectation.”
The creative direction of the project was inspired by Jewish philosopher Martin Buber’s “I and Thou,” a 1923 book that explores the complexities of interpersonal relationships. The music is by Israeli composer and DJ Ori Lichtik.
According to Circa’s website, the show poses the question: “Can we ever find a perfect balance, or is adapting to constant change the only way forward?” It’s a performance that Time Out said “pushes the boundaries of what circus and acrobatics can be.” Through light design, sound and dynamic formations, the movements mimic an ebb and flow of growth and collapse.
Lifschitz said he believes circus is an art form that can ask vital questions, because unlike other, more controlled performing arts such as ballet, it doesn’t shy away from looking strained and difficult.
On Nov. 15, the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater is coming to the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto for two back-to-back performances. According to his bio, Gregory Popovich is a Jewish Ukrainian and a fifth-generation circus performer, whose furry cast is all rescue animals.
“We chose to host the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater because it perfectly aligns with our commitment to offering meaningful, family-friendly entertainment that brings people together while promoting positive values,” OFJCC program manager Mila Serper said. “The show not only delights audiences of all ages but also highlights the importance of compassion and social responsibility through its message of animal rescue and adoption.”