Be Kind

A woman holds two glowing juggling pins while a child sits on the floor, both engaged in a playful moment together.
  • Kids & Families
  • Circus
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
  • Studio
  • Run time: 40 minutes, 30mins show and 10mins play time Subject to change

Your baby’s first circus

The Netherlands

Be Kind is an intimate theatre experience for babies aged 6 to 18 months, the perfect introduction to the magic of live performance.

From the singing of early birds to luminous juggling clubs at dusk, the show follows the rhythm of the day. The pop-up decor slowly comes to life, and there is always something that rattles, appears, creaks, rolls or floats. Along the way, a heartwarming dialogue develops between the artists and their audience, and because of these spontaneous interactions, every performance is slightly different.

After the show, the artists invite the little ones to discover the stage together, crawling in, out, along and through the set to explore up close.

For a deeper experience, on Saturday 10 October, after the 2:00pm show, join the Netherlands' artists for a discussion about Be Kind. Hear about the artistic process behind making the work, the research on baby theatre that informed it, and the inspiration behind the show.

Be Kind is supported by Fonds Podium Kunsten Performing Arts Fund NL.

Sydney Opera House presents an Emilie Weisse Circustheater production

Event details

Be Kind is jam-packed with multiple circus skills, exploring the arc of a day and play within that day. It's a stunning work.

The Scotsman

Emilie has created a beautiful piece of acrobatic/circus theatre for babies, underpinned by great research and rigour as to what young audiences get excited about. 

Why the Wild Things Festival Curator loves this show

Meet the cast and creatives

Headshot of Janick Kremer

Headshot of Lily Schlinker

About Emilie Weisse Circustheater

Emilie Weisse Circustheater is a company born in 2021 amid the global pandemic. 

The company has made its first steps with a baby circustheater experience called Be Kind. An original performance based on scientific research, which aims to emotionally reach babies, their parents/care givers and artists. A perfect first project to express the creativity and originality of the company. 

The company doesn’t limit themselves in one genre, one audience, one style. All doors are open to developing original concepts. Emilie Weisse as artistic director wants to touch upon the subjects that truly matter to her as a woman, as a dancer and as a circus artist.

Credits

Concept and direction Emilie Weisse
Set and book Rianne van Duin
Light design Wouter Moscou
Costumes Heidi de Raad
Scientific advice Sabine Hunnius (Baby & Child Research Center)

Co-producers 
TENT 
2Turvenhoog Festival

Made possible by 
Fonds Podiumkunsten 
Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst 
Mingler Scholarship 2022 
Het Cultuurfonds

Attending this event

More for crawling cubs (ages 0-2)

Handa’s Surprise

28 Sep – 2 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Musical Theatre
  • Theatre
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
A woman stands on stage, holding a giraffe puppet.

Grand Soft Day

8 – 11 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Musical Theatre
  • Theatre
  • Australian premiere
  • Wild Things
Four figures stare forward in a forest-scape.

SWING

26 Sep – 11 Oct 2026

  • Kids & Families
  • Experiences
  • Free
  • Installation
  • Wild Things
Two young girls sit side by side on a swing. Their legs are outstretched and they have smiling faces.

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Studio

The Studio is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

  • Checking availability