My Life in Boxes is the story of Elise, a hoarder coming to grips with everything that she has lost.
Comforted by the all too realistic memory of her late husband Teddy, Elise continues life like he never left, until, he suggests a deadly truth: either ghosts exist or there is something wrong with her. She then must choose, receive treatment and lose Teddy forever, or hoard her memories, hoard their love, and let her illness consume her.
My Life in Boxes is a bittersweet journey; Elise and Teddy's love and interactions so endearing, their fights so humorous. It is a beautiful, fragmented story explored both through text and circus with aerial sequences and acrobatics expertly woven throughout the story.
WINNER: Original New Circus Award - 2014 Melbourne Fringe Runner Up: Circus Showdown - 2015 Gasworks Theatre
- Venue Format
- Theatre, Hall, Black Box Venue
- Technical Rating
- Touring Party
- 4 (2 artists, 2 crew)
- Considerations
Contains mild coarse language Show contains circus aerials - 2 x rigging points required, if not available Gravity Dolls free standing rig can be used. Min Stage Height - 4m Min Stage Width - 5m Min Stage Depth - 4m
Gravity Dolls is a collaboration between Tim Rutty and Tarah Carey. After developing respect and appreciation for each other’s work, the pair investigated the possibility of collaborating to blend their passions for theatre and circus. This passion sparked a vision to create stories that encompass the entire performance space, challenging the laws of gravity and invoking a sense of magical realism in their play, and thus, Gravity Dolls was born.
The company debuted its first show, My Life in Boxes as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival where it won the Original New Circus Award. In 2015 an excerpt from the show was placed runner up at Gasworks’ Circus Showdown competition and has been confirmed for a RAV tour in 2016.
As a company, Gravity Dolls is gaining momentum and rapidly developing a high reputation for their unique brand of physical theatre. At the core of their creative process co-founders Tim Rutty and Tarah Carey look to move away from the traditions of circus that use tricks to impress the audience. Their work looks to push the relationship between circus and theatre, where the performers movement fosters a visual score for the subtext of the script.
- Company Website
- gravitydolls.com
Unique Selling Point
My Life in Boxes combines elements of circus and physical theatre with an entertaining yet heart-wrenching story. The show delicately balances light and dark moments, and is highly relatable for anyone who has ever been in love. Audiences will laugh, probably cry, but will definitely be drawn into the intricate story of love, loss and recovery. My Life in Boxes is a physical theatre production, circus, but not as you know it, where extreme physicality is used as a storytelling device to explore the ups and downs of a complex relationship over time.
Marketing Materials
Marketing collateral available:
- Generic Poster and DL flyer design
- marketing toolkit
- 30sec video suitable for TVC use
- generic media release
- publicity and production images (high and web res)
Circus, acting and physical theatre workshops available.
Gravity Dolls t-shirts and button-badges available.
Community Engagement
Treasured possessions / hoarders board: Set up a corkboard or blackboard that allows people to contribute by writing down something that they are holding onto. For example, a blackboard with the prompt “I can’t let go of…” or “I’m holding onto…” patrons can add their response in the lead up to the show as more people add their paper slips it will develop into an art installation. Through anonymous sharing people can talk about the slips they read and also take pictures and upload to social media.
The cast are available for post-show Meet and Greets, mingling and photo opportunities with audience members.
Workshops in circus, physical theatre and acting are available - if this is the preferred option we would work closely with the venue to tailor the workshops to suit the community.
Comments/Reviews
Jordan Beth Vincent, Sydney Morning Herald
Media Review
Told through text, movement and circus, My Life in Boxes has an strong emotional range, beginning with a charming meet¬cute between Elise and Teddy. While parts of the performance are raw, Maude Davey's direction feels wise, expressive and yet restrained. The result is a work that is the nugget of something special that deserves to have a life beyond Fringe. (Read More)
Nina Barry-Macaulay
Media Review
My Life in boxes is an absolute gem. It reminded me of all the things I love about live performance. It had me entertained and intellectually stimulated, the hour passed before I knew it. It uses every element of production (circus, script, sound track, performance, set) to tell a heartfelt and important story in an extraordinary way. (Read More)
Cordelia Woods, Rip it Up
Media Review
As emotionally challenging circumstances appear, the actors take to the sky and use physical theatre to portray internal conversations and thoughts. This intimate interaction between husband and wife can only be described as beautiful as their bodies convey emotion and pain, the true highlight of the show. A moment where movement says more than words. Unexpected and distinctively unique. (Read More)