IMPACT
Vulcana community ensemble collaborating with a wide range of artists, Directed by Celia White, 2023
Impact explores our responses to the climate emergency and how we can act, find hope, create beauty, learn from each other and share ideas for change. It invites audiences to experience a performative world built on circus, dance, theatre, imagery and everything in between
Photos on this page by Jade Ellis Photography
Beginnings
Impact started with a conversation series in 2022. Over four sessions Vulcana hosted community members and artists from a range of backgrounds to come together and discuss – what has circus got to do with climate change?
Each conversation was centred on a different topic. These conversations would become the root for ideas explored in the development process.
- Pasifika communities and the impact of climate change and the urgent need for immediate action.
- Young people and their unique concerns about climate change.
- Questioning how the arts can interact with scientific data to create artworks that embody the emotional and physical impacts of climate change.
- First Nations peoples’ perspectives on climate change.
Creation
Over the course of 2023 the Vulcana community met to share ideas and to shape the content of the performance. Along with the physical work of creating acrobatic structures and choreography it also meant writing script and discovering characters. Impact was a work of mass collaboration between the community, the ensemble, professional performing artists as well as First Nations writers, poets, visual artists, musicians and dancers.
“One of the things that Vulcana projects are interested in is the exchange between participants that happens. It’s an inherent learning process. We have left the data and looked at our own emotional responses, and what we think we can do. What is our collective action.”
— Celia White, Director
Read more on the creation process here.
Both in the conversation series and again during the development process Vulcana hosted a Talanoa delivered by climate action group 350.org. In many Pacific languages, Talanoa means to tell a story, or have a conversation.
This sharing of ideas allowed for the Vulcana ensemble to form a tangible connection between their own perspectives of climate change and the experiences of our neighbours in the pacific.
Texts for the work were created by ensemble members, delivered by them and woven through acrobatic and aerial elements. The framing and narration for the whole work was written by First Nations poet, Aurora Liddle-Christie, delivered in conversation between her recorded voice and First Nations actor Che Skeen.
“The showcasing of such a diversity of voices all affected by the climate crisis is what made IMPACT special. The entire event felt like a community getting together to share stories and find comfort in shared experience. The professional circus performance of Vulcana was enriched through the shared dialogue with music, dance, and poetry. ”
— Kaylee Vera, Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane
Art work by Viki Mana
Performance
Impact was performed in October 2023 on the banks of Maiwar (the Brisbane River). To create a work about land, about the environment it was important for the creative team that this work was situated outside, under the stars. The performance brought all the creative collaborators together for three special nights. Pasifika band, Beauty and the Beats opened and closed the performance with their iconic mix of guitar, log drumming, vocals and beatboxing, with influences both traditional and contemporary. Accompanied by dancers, Kara Kaisara and Mariah Pelesa, the group’s performance was an important contribution to the work helping to bring aspects of Pasifika culture centre stage for the audience.
“The setting was immersive and helped to set the scene in a really meaningful way.”
— Donna T, audience member
Production Credits
Creative Team
Director – Celia White
Writer – Aurora Liddle Christie
Sound designer – Harlen
Costume designer – Asia Beck Jijnasu
Props maker – Regan Henry
Lighting designer – Dan Endicott
Rigging designer – Helen Clifford
Digital Designer – Vika Mana
Production Manager – Hannah Owsianka
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Performers
Narrators – Che Skeen and Aurora Liddle Christie
Earth Agents – Abbey Church, Mayu Muto, Sammie Williams and thanks to Lauren Watson
Climate Denier – Madeleine Grant
Ensemble/ Co-devisors – Allycia Staples, Bena Brown, Chloe Callistemon, Erina Imai, Eunice Poon, Helene Windels, Kirsten Gaffel, Lorraine Han, Rosie Albina, Stephanie Benson, Stephanie Coates, Tessa Milton, Tracy Chen and thanks to Diane Rapson
Beauty and the Beats
Beat Keeper – Hope Haami
Vocals – Lana Tukaroa
Vocal, Guitar and Keys – Eve Carol Nikolao
Bass , Vocals – Bubz Kuinsilani
Dancers – Kara Kaisara, Mariah Pelesa
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Production team
Assistant stage managers – Elena Swift, Ellen Henry, Ellery James, Jane Shelton, Kelly Nepenthes, Sally Walker
Truss builders – Helen Clifford with Abbey Church, Domenica Finch, Hannah Owsianka, Mayu Muto, Rachael Gibson, Sophie Whitecross
This project has been supported by:
The Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
The Creative Sparks Grant Program, an initiative of Brisbane City Council in partnership with the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Creative Partnerships Australia through the Plus1 Program.
