Deadly Voices from the House
Natives Go Wild Podcast Miniseries
In this Natives Go Wild miniseries, we talk with the cast and crew of the Sydney Opera House Presents First Nations program which flips the narrative portrayed by history of the Barnum and Bailey circus, the so-called “greatest show on earth”. From the Aboriginal Cannibal Boomerang Throwers and the great Wizard of the High Wire, to the exotic Fijian Mermaid… Natives Go Wild is the story of the First circus performers.
Chelsea McGuffin is a circus performer and leading circus director from Brisbane, QLD and is leading our mob as the Director of Natives Go Wild. Chelsea has worked in circus companies such as Circus Monoxide, Flipside Circus and CIRCA Contemporary Circus. Since founding her own company, Company2, she has been committed to creating her own work which combines her dance background and passion for circus. Listen to Chelsea’s Deadly Voices podcast episode and hear all about her directorial plans for this exciting new circus cabaret.
We are very excited to welcome to the stage Niuean multidisciplinary artist Josephine Mailisi. Josie is a talented contortionist, aerialist, choreographer and dancer. Some of her career highlights include MOTIVE 2018 where she was an aerial hoop soloist and co-producer, and the 2018 All Blacks vs China half time entertainment where she performed as an aerialist. Josie will be bringing our ‘FeeJee Mermaid’ to life through mesmerising aerial contortion. Listen to Josephine on the Deadly Voices podcast.
Listen to Mika Haka on the Deadly Voices podcast and discover this incandescent queer Maori performance artist. An absolute firecracker in New Zealand’s performance art world, Mika’s life has been an ongoing production of both the fabulous and the revolutionary. After discovering disco in the ‘70s, Mika has worked with Carmen, Dalvanius Prime and others to develop striking stage shows. He has recorded seven albums in Maori and in English and has received an APRA Maioha Award nomination recognising his contribution to contemporary Maori music. Mika will be leading our cast as the as the effervescent Ring Master.
Listen to Seini Taumoepeau AKA SistaNative on the Deadly Voices podcast, a Tongan Australian who has a career spanning over 30 years in the performing arts as a presenter and a performer. She has been involved in broadcasting since she was 13 years old and is committed to extending the stories and narratives of Oceania and refers to herself as an orator and song woman.
Get more stories in the Backstage newsletter
Sign up nowYou may also like...
Natives Go Wild
Step right up into a wild world of mystery. A mistold tale of circus and wonder. A twisted history unleashed, and a famous freak show unmasked. Be enraptured by the dark truth of P.T. Barnum, the greatest showman, and his mob of circus ‘delights’...
Exposing the fallacy of circus ‘showmen’
Debunking the myth of circus showmen ahead of Opera House original production Natives Go Wild. Learn the truth of a business that coerced and scammed First People, who were put on display and forced to perform.
Listen to It's a Long Story - Podcast
Hear the stories behind the big ideas of some of Sydney Opera House's most influential and acclaimed guests. Listen here.