Adelaide Fringe: Flying Dreams

Flying Dreams starts in an odd kind of way, with the audience pushed into singing along to a George Michael song (though I’m not quite sure why). But we leave all that behind quickly (thank goodness) and go into a story with juggler Aaron Jessup – about his hopes, dreams and travel as a street performer.

Jessup has a kind of travel tale happening – about the high and lows of a street performing life; heading to San Francisco and then Europe to try to make it big; and about a friendship that endured much and then tragically ended.

It’s a little interesting at times and has the foundations to (possibly) be woven into something that really does fly high but in this incarnation it fizzles out a bit.

Jessup is a great juggler and competent street performer I’m sure. For when he allowed himself and the play to slip back into his juggling routines and also to interact with the audience as if we were an audience on a street corner (while he juggled) things lifted. He is a fun guy as a street performer and knows all the tricks of the trade to keep the (would be) sidewalk audience with him. We laughed and watched him present bits of his juggling street show which was very well done. But when he went back to the dramatic story-telling form (which was the main fare) and relied upon his only average script and acting, it dropped right back down in energy and interest.

And just for the record, its bad theatre etiquette to touch, hug and climb over audience members without their permission. Seriously someone could get hurt or distressed!

If you are into juggling or fascinated by the worlds behind the performers that you see on street corners or at Fringe Festivals, who knows this one could be for you.