Circus De Licious – quick links
Over two weekends, Circus De Licious serves up a generous circus and cabaret meal as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Produced by Express Move ME, a company with Perth and Adelaide Fringe awards under its belt, Circus De Licious aspires to push the boundaries of what’s physically and theatrically possible – though that leaves audience with a full plate of expectations.
The cast changes each week. The performers’ energy on 10 October was infectious, and their joy in performing radiated across the stage. While each act dazzled on its own, the show struggled to find its flavour, leaving the audience full but not quite satisfied.
The art of variety
Australia is known for its touring variety shows. Australian circus and physical theatre artists are internationally renowned for kookiness and diversity, sharing narratives of the world we live in.
Circus De Licious is part of this tradition. With The Mighty Caesar as emcee and leader, the evening is essentially a tasting menu of variety acts. One moment there are gravity-defying aerials. The next, seductive partnering with fire double staffs, or camp miniature bicycle riding.
Individually, the acts on 10 October were full of potential. Highlights included Jay Rensen’s polyrhythmic multitasking with contact juggling. Here, Rensen appeared as a genderfluid Fred Astaire in their suit and tap shoes, moving in sync with the bounce of their juggling balls.
Even through mistakes, they returned to the groove immediately. They ended their act strongly with sharp tap moves like drawbacks and Maxie Fords while juggling three balls, bouncing them into the floor, creating a satisfying metronome.
Another highlight was Kelsea Crow, who took to the trapeze with grit and facility. In this act, Crow appeared like an apparition from an 1980s horror movie. Their dynamic act was performed in time to Australian rock music. With their dark hair and piercing gaze, they had the energy of a black widow spider. Crow had power, able to backbend from standing and shapeshift effortlessly.
Both artists had a clear vision for their act. With character development, they are sure to create variety acts that can sustain their careers.
A good variety show needs a heart
The creative ambition behind Circus De Licious is evident and commendable, though what makes a variety circus show great is how we are led on the journey through the short acts.
On 10 October, The Mighty Caesar was not just a performer but also the emcee, stage manager and rigging support. Such is the world of independent artists! Their act balancing wooden spoons was strong, making the audience giggle with excitement. But with so many roles to juggle, Caesar struggled to host the event.
Attempts to engage the audience were episodic and sometimes rambling, and the stop-and-start nature of the variety show amplified the clunky transitions. With room to focus on the audience, and some discernment around when to banter, Caesar can excel as an emcee and show off their charm and wonderfully hyperbolic body language.
All of the performers displayed physical skill and charisma but the absence of a guiding concept meant the audience was asked to constantly reset expectations between acts.
Without thoughtful pacing, the show became a bit of a food fight – flavours competing rather than complementing. At times, the energy peaked too early, leaving later acts struggling to lift again. The result lacked the satisfaction of a cohesive story or emotional journey.
Circus De Licious opens opportunities
Circus De Licious shows that Express Move ME is living up to its mission to create a supportive environment for emerging circus artists and provide opportunities to tell stories and perform. With attention to structure and smoother pacing, the company has real potential.
A spirit of inclusivity underpinned the 10 October performance. The experience was fun, lively, and generous – much like an overstuffed, bring-a-plate picnic with friends where not everything matches, but everyone leaves smiling.
Circus De Licious is at Studio Nexus in Melbourne as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival until 19 October 2025.
This review was written as part of Circus.txt, a professional development program designed and delivered by Oozing Future to engage arts writers with contemporary circus and physical theatre practice, and increase the visibility of critical dialogue within the sector. This project was funded by Creative Australia through their Victorian Circus and Physical Theatre grant round.
