FORKLIFT – Sydney Festival

Overview

Physical theatre and contemporary dance fans will no doubt be intrigued by the world premiere of FORKLIFT — a new work that combines dance with contortion and aerial acrobatics. Oh, yeah, and the whole thing takes place on and around a working 2.5 tonne forklift. It sounds playful, impressive and a little bit dangerous.

Brought to you by Australia's very own KAGE (the “more than dance” but “not quite theatre” makers) as part of the Sydney Festival, the 50-minute show takes for its setting an industrial wasteland in which three women work a graveyard shift. Just three dancers, a machine and a whole lot of movement embracing the contrast between the light, lithe limbs of the performers and the heavy, solid metal of the forklift.

Directed by Kate Denborough, co-founder of KAGE with Gerard Van Dyck, FORKLIFT stars Henna Kaikula (hand balancer and contortionist extraordinaire), Amy Macpherson and Nicci Wilks, formerly of Circus Oz. Yes, the dancers went and got forklift licences to make this unlikely dream a reality.

Image by Justin Bernhaut.