The Artist

By Circo Aereo and Thom Monckton
Director Sanna Silvennoinen
Lighting Design Juho Rahijärvi
Sound Design Tuomas Norvio and Atte Kantonen
Costume Design Kati Mantere
Consultant Eveliina Hämäläinen
Company Circo Aereo

NZ premiere in collaboration with Circa Theatre & A Mulled Whine

Weds 24th – Sat 27th June – Exclusive “Sneak Preview” 4-night season! Limited 140 seat capacity per show! Don’t miss out!
Circa One

Weds 24th & Thurs 25th June – 6.30pm
Fri 26th & Sat 27th June – 8pm

$25 Under 25s
$38 Friends of Circa
$42 Concession
$52 Adult
Runtime: 1 hour (no interval)

An artist arrives at his paint-spattered studio ready to create a new work. He waits for inspiration. When it finally comes, things don’t proceed quite as he would wish. For this artist, every task is filled with challenges – chaos is unavoidable.

When international circus sensation Thomas Monckton came home to New Zealand earlier this year, it was to debut his new solo physical theatre and contemporary circus show for NZ audiences. The Artist was mere days out from its scheduled opening at Circa Theatre when Circa and the company made the difficult decision to postpone and close the theatre doors. On what would have been opening night, the country went into lockdown.

Now – three months after Thom’s arrival in Aotearoa – The Artist is bouncing back for an exclusive Sneak Preview Season. It will be the very first live performances to return to the building, marking Circa’s triumphant return into the space.

From the creators of smash-hit The Pianist, Monckton’s new show is an exceptional feat of theatre, comedy and storytelling – entirely without words and packed with physical spectacle. The Artist makes a fine art out of physical comedy.

“Thomas Monckton is a performer to behold. His show is a feast I would love to devour again and again.” – Theatreview (NZ)

“It is always enjoyable to witness a perfect performance” – Helsingin Sanomat (FIN)

“Thomas Monckton is a comic genius” – The Dominion Post (NZ)

“Embodies the art of laughter” – The Times

“A sister show to The Pianist, The Artist is an incredible feat of physical strength, skilled theatrics, and comedic storytelling. To be in the audience of a Thom Monckton performance is simply spellbinding, as he makes a spectacular experience out of the ordinary. His ability to hold our attention and make us laugh is a masterclass in clowning” – Scotsman (UK)

Created by Thom Monckton & Sanna Silvennoinen

Thomas Monckton is an award-winning physical theatre and circus performer originally from Patea, South Taranaki. Monckton trained for two yearsat Christchurch circus school CircoArts and two years at the physical theatre school Lecoq in Paris. He has now been based in Helsinki, Finland for several years, where he collaborates frequently with Circo Aereo and Kallo Collective. His previous works The Pianist, Only Bones v1.0, and Moving Stationery have all earned considerable acclaim:

** Best in Fringe – NZ Fringe, 2019 **

** Best in Fringe – Auckland Fringe, 2019 **

** Total Theatre Award for Best Circus Show – Edinburgh Fringe, 2014 **

** Grant Tilly Award for Actor of the Year – Chapman Tripp Wellington Theatre Awards, 2012 **

** Best in Fringe – NZ Fringe, 2012 **

** Best Theatre – NZ Fringe, 2012 **

Circo Aereo is an international contemporary circus group from Finland. Currently one of the most active Finnish groups performing abroad, Circo Aereo is among the flagships of Finnish cultural exports. Director Sanna Silvennoinen is one of the artistic directors of the group.

Please note:
- Limited capacity of 140 in 224-seat theatre
- General admission seating so patrons can space out from other groups/bubbles
- Hand sanitiser at the theatre entry, Box Office, bar, bathrooms, and by the water cooler
- The building has had a thorough clean by both cleaners and Box Office staff
- All bookings have a name, email and contact phone number associated for contact tracing