Award-winning comedy circus act Trash Test Dummies are looking forward to entertaining audiences throughout North West Queensland this week.
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Melbourne based co-creator Jamie Bretman said this is their first time travelling to regional Queensland.
“We haven’t done that much of Queensland at all, really,” Bretman said.
“One of the things we particularly love about touring regional is bringing something that these people, who live so far out, wouldn’t usually have access to.”
“It’s extremely rewarding and satisfying to perform to people who really appreciate it,” he said.
Having toured regional Western Australia last year, Bretman said it is lovely to see a sense of community that is missing in big cities.
The Queensland tour began in Hughenden on May 3 and Normanton on May 5.
Mount Isa will witness the circus event this Sunday May 7, 1pm at the Civic Centre, and tickets are available now through MIETV.
Julia Creek will receive them on May 10 and Charters Towers on May 12.
The group is halfway through their fourth year touring Trash Test Dummies full time in Australia and internationally.
Jamie Bretman, Jack Coleman and Thomas McDonald all studied at NICA (National Institute of Circus Arts) where they devised the original show as ‘garbologist’ characters.
“We created the show and made everything to do with the show,” Bretman said.
“It started as an exercise in class – we had an amazing director who gave us three bins to hide in.”
“The audiences loved our three characters so we decided to turn it into a ten minute show, then they asked ‘when’s the full show coming?’,” he said
Trash Test Dummies incorporates aspects of comedy, acrobatics, juggling, and mime.
“We do a lot of flipping and standing on each other, stacking bins and doing handstands.”
“Other circus includes juggling, hat manipulation, dancing, and big slapstick movements,” he said.
Trash Test Dummies has been very popular with young audiences, and won Best Children’s Presentation at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2015.
Bretman said he loves seeing the reactions from children and adults in the audience.
“Reviews have related us to a Pixar film, so while there’s things for the kids, there’s also things for the adults that the kids don’t understand,” Bretman said.
“We often get adults saying they enjoyed it more than the kids,” he said.
There is a lot of audience interaction in this show, but Bretman promises no one is required to get up on stage.
“It’s all about giving the audience and giving them a good time,” he said.
The trio is working on a new show called Splash Test Dummies, set underwater (with no actual water).
