Women’s Circus was founded in 1991 as an organisation for marginalised women: older, gender diverse, and women speaking English as a second language. Its outstanding success is due to its inclusive approach, and the simplicity, wit and humanity of its work.
Small Acts of Resistance is an exemplar of this – 13 mostly older women and gender diverse people of assorted shapes and sizes perform a series of scenes, all with strong points to make. In between the audience is quizzed (interpreted in Auslan) by two comperes – accompanied by a scratch brass band playing gloriously… scratchily – about specific moments in female history: which was the first Australian state to give women the vote, for example. And there are nice barbs along the way, beginning with one of my bugbears – why are pockets in women’s clothing not a given?
The acts of resistance of the title are embodied in the performers being onstage at all – muscularity of body and mind is a core of the ethos. Older doesn’t mean weak, disengaged, trivial – what we do as we age is a choice – and the decision to stay strong, opinionated and attentive to life is the centre of the piece.
All the cast have physical strength on display – balancing each other on shoulders, backs, thighs –entwining vivid red tissue drops around limbs to hover aloft, or snuggle in blue cocoons, to extend a foot or an arm, or most of a body, as they float above the nicely lit Gasworks stage.
The props are clever, simple and effective – metal-framed cubes and rectangles used as cages, swings, platforms; plus grey blocks that look like a mini-Stonehenge in some arrangements, which are desks, corridors, supports and barriers. These were very effective in a scene where a woman applies to a government department on her ailing father’s behalf, and has that experience so many of us have endured of endless phone calls, uninterested ‘customer service’ personnel, and the inevitable final piece of paper never having been issued.
The overarching point being made, to me, is cooperation – each performer is an essential element in the whole, and without focused teamwork, emotional and physical support and encouragement, clearly present here, none of the moments would register and be effective.
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The cast are not polished performers, which is the point – these are smart, strong older folk with points to make, mostly done through their physical presences, and physical and intellectual strength, and their commitment to the ideas they are presenting, unpretentiously, for us to contemplate and enjoy. The audience was vocal throughout, and appreciative of the achievements of each woman we were watching.
As a past board member of this organisation, and a fan of their ambition, persistence and originality since I saw The Island in 2000, it was wonderful to see that they continue to be sassy, opinionated and classy in the bold, heartfelt work the company is still producing after 34 years.
Small Acts of Resistance, Women’s Circus
Gasworks Arts Park
Director – Kate Fryer
Creative Producer/Production Manager – Steph Cox
Sound Design/Composition – Sharyn Brand
Lighting Designer – Gina Gascoigne
Costume Design – Jac Antliff
Stage Manager – Kara Floyd
Head rigger – Franca Stadler
Musical Director – Betty France
Musician – Robyn Peck, Louise (Rad) Radcliff-Smith
Cast: Bridget Roberts, Catherine McMurtrie, Harry Grrl, Jen Hunt, Jenny Pitts, Kate Cooke, Larissa MacFarlane, Liz Murray, Nicole Herd, Madeline Ford, Sheryl Bryce, Vig Geddes, Vivienne Halat
Tickets: $25-$35
Small Acts of Resistance runs Wed – Sat 6pm from 5-8 February 2025 at Gasworks Arts Park, 23 Graham Street, Albert Park
