Duck Pond is a circus style reimagining of two enduring classics, Swan Lake and Ugly Duckling and comes up with an exhilarating spectacle.
From the Circa Ensemble, a world renown theatre company based in Brisbane, Australia, their principal director Yaron Lifschitz has thoroughly deconstructed the classic Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake and integrated that into the Hans Christian Anderson tale of The Ugly Duckling and filled it full of acrobatic thrills and intentionally choreographed spills.
Anyone unfamiliar with these two classics is handed a synopsis of the combined storylines, but we are here to marvel at the carefully choreographed rolls and tumbles, the tripled human pyramids and the combined clusters anchored by one performer (usually male) on the floor.
An early sequence involves one of the dancers high on the silk ribbons, who anchors himself by entwining his limbs in the fabric, and dropping at intervals from the heights. Numerous gasps elicited from the audience.
There are ten performers, equally split between male and female. But not identified as to their characters. We can identify the prince because he wears a golden crown.
The Ugly Duckling wears a white tutu and is the most diminutive. Cupid has large wings, and the Black Swan has a transparent sheer black costume.
Costume designer Libby McDonnell has excelled in portraying the elegant swans as well as creating the comic ducks, with large, webbed feet and bright yellow clown pants.
The narrative is fast and loose over the first two acts. Feathers fly from the outset and brooms are incorporated into the action.
A pillow fight acts as a focal point to the denouement of the first act.
Cupid is there to ensure the prince falls for the duckling. She eventually does transform into a beautiful white swan, but it appears that the black swan is a Gemini twin of the white, and it’s a little surprise that they appear to be two female lovers. A neat subversion of the story.
Integral to the production is the soundtrack from Jethro Woodward, combining some of the score from Tchaikovsky with minimalist Philip Glass styled ambient atmospherics, and coupled with louder dramatic crescendos when required.
The third act is a complete surprise. The performers start to deconstruct the large stage and also shed their clothes, down to their flesh-coloured underwear. One of them is tied down in black gaffer tape.
The tumbles and acrobatics continue. A cyr wheel comes out and one of the dancers rolls around the stage with increasing speed. A multiple hula hoop routine brings some extended cheers.
The final act is the performers paraded on stage in their own individual glass cases like exhibits in a museum.
Quite a daring and subversive ending to a wickedly wild show. That is Duck Pond and it is quite the grand spectacle.
Rev. Orange Peel
Duck Pond plays at the Auckland Arts Festival until Sunday 15 March 2026. Ticket are available HERE.
Discover more from Red Raven News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.