Perth Voice Interactive

MOST folk eventually give up their crazy dreams to get a ‘sensible’ job and settle down, but the co-founders of Acrobatch did the exact opposite.

21-year-old Simon Wood was studying politics at university and Ben Kotovski-Steele was a graduate engineer, but they gave it all up to run away to the circus.

“I was studying politics at the time and a friend invited me to go with her to a circus festival in Karridale,” Wood says.

“In the remaining years of my degree study, I came to the realisation that circus artists were much more warm, friendly and welcoming than politician minions and I’d much rather work in the arts.

“Since then it’s been quite the journey travelling around and training and making that transition into a professional circus artist.”

Kotovski-Steele worked as an engineer for a bit, but soon swapped the wrench for the juggling balls and became besties with Wood, bonding over their love of the Big Top.

A 13-year friendship blossomed, but they never actually worked together until the pandemic marooned them in Perth.

“We discovered we worked really well together when I got locked down in Perth while visiting my parents and have been performing regularly together ever since,” Wood says.

Fast forward to 2024 and they are now teachers at Fremantle-based CircusWA, where they train three times a week and Kotovski-Steele heads up the Academy Youth Troupe program.

In 2020 they joined forces with fellow circus performer Luke Forrester to form Acrobatch, a contemporary circus company that mixes juggling, acrobatics and satire.

Their latest show Appeasing Nergal is set in a living room with three housemates and skewers global events including Jeff Bezos’ trip to outer space and politicians’ responses to the pandemic. It also reflects on the devastating bushfires and floods in 2021.

During the energetic show, the trio perform mind-bending tricks with everyday objects, and explore some wild theories on the wrath of ancient gods and their impact on the modern world. Oh, and there’s even a bit of free “government health advice”.

Forrester says they been performing at various WA events, festivals and variety shows since mid-2021, honing their tight-knit act.

“Appeasing Nergal is what happens when three friends get together and put all of our silliest ideas and coolest tricks into one show,” he says. 

“It’s one of those performances where I’m easily having as much fun as the audience.”

Readers might remember Forrester from his quirky, viral YouTube video in 2021, which featured him juggling pine cones for quokkas on Rottnest Island. 

Their cute reactions became a global hit and the story was picked up by the Daily Mail in the UK. You can check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FjFHu7ijFg

Appeasing Nergal was developed with support from the dept of local government, sports and cultural Industries and has been performed at Joondalup Festival and The WA Circus Festival in Karridale.

It will make its Fringe World debut at the State Theatre Centre in Northbridge on January 27/28 and February 3/4/10/11. Tix at fringeworld.com.au.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK