Since 2008, Asking for Trouble has been creating award-winning, beautiful, ridiculous, and highly engaging circus and physical theatre works. The company devises performances that integrate skills, imagery, storytelling, and games into fun and inspiring experiences for children and their families. To date, Asking for Trouble has created and performed five original works, undertaking numerous regional, national, and international tours. The company is deeply committed to community practice, which serves as fertile ground for keen observation, experimentation, and audience development.
Each production stems from the universal language of play. Bubblewrap & Boxes was inspired by the endless possibilities of a simple cardboard box, while KAPOW! explored the desire to be special or brave through the world of superhero admiration. FoRT delved into the joy of using everyday objects to create spaces and stories to inhabit. The Bottle Collector drew upon the delight of mixing coloured potions, collecting ‘treasures’, and childhood games like Pick Up Sticks. The company’s upcoming works in development, Risk and Maps (working titles), will further expand its artistic exploration of childhood play, while advocating for the importance of giving space, power, and trust to young people.
Over the past 20 years, Asking for Trouble has facilitated workshops and directed community performances and projects, both independently and in collaboration with organisations such as Circus Oz, Westside Circus, The Women’s Circus, Kids’ Own Publishing, and Footscray Community Arts Centre. More recently, the company has worked hyper-locally in Clunes, where they are based, delivering projects such as In the Deep End—a youth ensemble circus performance in and around community swimming pools—and Art Attack, a three-year program co-designed with young people to address mental wellbeing and social cohesion. Supported by Creative Victoria, Art Attack encompassed a wide range of workshops and skill-building activities across artforms including circus and physical theatre, parkour, filmmaking, writing, theatre, dance, and music.
Asking for Trouble tells stories through jumping, climbing, spinning, and, most of all, embracing the joy of being a little bit ridiculous.
