The new circus production Cirque Empire is bringing 1920s New York to Brisbane. The show will play QPAC’s Glasshouse Theatre from 5 to 14 February 2027, making its Brisbane debut as part of its world premiere season.
Cirque Empire comes from producers Tim Lawson and Simon Painter, the team behind The Illusionists, Cirque Alice and Now You See Me Live. It is their ninth circus production together, following others including Le Noir, Cirque Alice and Circus 1903. The production features an international cast of circus performers, acrobats and aerial artists. Among them are Duo Paradise performing a pas de deux, The Reyes Brothers with their juggling act, Viktoriia Bubnova on aerial straps, hand-balancer Valentin Chetverkin, the Zapata Brothers on teeterboard and Duo Sirca Marea with an aerial cradle act. This production is being choreographed by Australian creative director Kelley Abbey.
Executive Producer Tim Lawson said he was looking forward to returning to QPAC after the success of Cirque Alice and Now You See Me Live.
We are thrilled to bring Cirque Empire to the beautiful new Glasshouse Theatre and introduce Brisbane audiences to this extraordinary new production. Whether you’re planning a romantic date night or a glamorous night out with friends, Cirque Empire is the perfect excuse to dress up, indulge and escape the everyday. We had such fun and success with Cirque Alice last year at QPAC, so we are very excited to be back in Brisbane for this inaugural season.
Creative Producer Simon Painter spoke about the cast and what the show aims to capture.
We’ve brought together some of the finest circus artists performing anywhere in the world. From extraordinary aerialists and acrobats to world-class comedy and dance talent, this cast represents the very best in contemporary circus. Cirque Empire captures the excitement, glamour and larger-than-life spirit of the decade of decadence, combining incredible human skill with a theatrical spectacle unlike anything else on stage today.
Audiences wanting to get closer to the action can also book VIP on-stage seating. Ticketing information for these seats and all other tickets to see Cirque Empire can be found on the QPAC Website.
