International circus collaboration to premiere Shaun the Sheep Circus Show at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre

One of the world’s leading performance companies - Circa Contemporary Circus – is collaborating with multi-award winning and globally renowned animation studio Aardman to create Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show - a new circus-theatre production for audiences of all ages - which will premiere at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in March 2021.

Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is being supported by the Queensland Government through a three-way partnership, comprising investment from Screen Queensland, Arts Queensland funding via the Queensland Arts Showcase Program and QPAC as the Presenting Partner.

The project has also been made possible by the Federal Government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (Rise) fund.

Since 2004, from its base in Brisbane, Australia, Circa has toured the world—performing in 40 countries to over a million people. Circa’s works have been greeted with standing ovations, rave reviews and sold-out houses across six continents.

Aardman is the Academy Award®-winning UK studio behind Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit, and of course, Shaun the Sheep. The tales of an enterprising Sheep named Shaun and his farmyard pals have been seen in 170 territories worldwide, and has spawned two critically celebrated feature films, a half-hour special and over 170 television episodes. With a second half-hour special in production, set for a 2021 winter release, Shaun the Sheep will continue to entertain a whole new generation of international fans.

Director Yaron Lifschitz and the Circa Ensemble capture all the sophisticated and challenging elements of Circa’s extreme physicality while embracing the fun, humour and playfulness found in the world of Shaun the Sheep.

Scenic Designer Dan Potra and Costume Designer Libby McDonnell have created a new world for Shaun and his flock to inhabit, seamlessly blending the dimensions of animation, stage, film and live acrobatics.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk noted that today’s announcement of Queensland having secured the World Premiere season is “a great win for Queensland, not only for our arts community but also for our economy as we continue to rebuild from the pandemic.

“Shaun the Sheep is a global phenomenon. It’s great to see Circa—one of the state’s most successful performance companies—premiere this show here in Queensland.

“The arts industry employs thousands of people throughout the state. World class productions like this will help this sector to recover from the impact of COVID-19.”

Queensland Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said Shaun the Sheep will be able to play to full houses and engage the young and the young at heart adding “Shaun the Sheep is a family favourite throughout the world and to have this production here is a fantastic win for Queensland.

“The arts, cultural and creative sector plays a crucial role in our COVID-19 recovery, bringing our communities back together and supporting jobs for artists and arts workers.

The entire family will be treated to a visual spectacle, with Aardman’s signature Shaun the Sheep animation, combined with live performance from Circa. Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show is packed full of smart wit and outright hilarity, as Circa simultaneously blurs the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus.

Lifschitz commented “Shaun the Sheep is a playful, rambunctious feast of humour, good spirits and the triumph of the little guy. The medium of circus is a perfect vehicle for bringing these qualities to the stage. Melding the worlds of stage and screen, and incorporating the extreme physicality of circus without losing the emotional depth and charm of the original, is a major creative challenge—it’s the sort of thing we at Circa thrive on.”

Circa’s Chair, Michael Lynch added “this ambitious new creation is made possible with partners including Screen Queensland and QPAC, and through the incredible support from the Federal Arts Ministry and Arts Queensland”.

Aardman continues to innovate and inspire as its globally recognised and beloved characters step out beyond the screen, through its impressive portfolio of live experiences, exhibitions and attractions, which allow fans to experience the world of Shaun the Sheep in exciting and interactive ways.

Aardman Head of Attractions and Live Experiences, Ngaio Harding-Hill notes “We have always had an ambition to create a Shaun the Sheep circus show. The physicality of circus performance marries perfectly with the slapstick traditions, thrills and humour of the brand. Circa’s creative vision made them the perfect partner to create a Shaun the Sheep circus show for global audiences. Shaun is already very at home in Australia, so we are thrilled to premiere the show at QPAC.”

For more information go to aardman.com and circa.org.au