Circus in a Bottle
Circus in a Bottle is a live performance presented using augmented reality.
We follow ‘The Barker’ who, despite growing up in the Circus, has inherited none of his family’s skills. Touring big tops with his grandiose father, he witnessed it all; acts that defied logic, defined generations and underlined the majesty of the sawdust ring. But now, those once great Circus names have vanished into history for good… or have they?
The Barker and his miniature assistant recreate these Circus acts from bygone years before your very eyes. Once told, he packs these stories into a suitcase ready to take to the road.
“… in a show based on XR where the experience lies in essentially ignoring the live performer half the time to follow action which isn’t physically there, kinesthetic touch-points pull our spatial sense away from the boundaries of the room (which could be anywhere and therefore doesn’t matter) and into the cozy circle of the table, our host, and our companions’ smiles at the charming little transparent performer capering between us."
Shelley Snyder
Following on from the unfortunate cancellation of the 2022 VAULT festival, where Circus in a Bottle was due to make its world premiere, we previewed the performance at CRYPT in March 2022. This new immersive space, operated by Parabolic Theatre, is a new hub located in the heart of east London.
“The assistant was adorable, mildly interactive and we were genuinely concerned about it’s safety when it was attempting feats (there was a hairy moment that involved fire – yikes). It’s really impressive tech that created an engaging shared experience between all six of the audience members."
Hannah Smithies
In 2023 we were finally able to bring the circus to Vault Festival, performing at the VOID.
