People Watching: Play Dead

Poetical, poignant and humouristic acrobatics of the highest calibre

The Canadian company People Watching premiered Play Dead in 2023, and it has since become one of the major circus events of recent years.

Set in a shifting world of domestic scenes and intertwined stories, Play Dead offers a surreal take on the familiar. Blending world-class acrobatics, dance, and physical theatre, it casts contemporary circus in a fresh light, and full of searing emotions. By zooming in on ordinary moments, the show reveals how beautiful, twisted, and absurd everyday life can be—celebrating it like a final dance before the party ends.

“Not only did the six Montreal artists of People Watching offer us the festival’s
favorite show, but they also created one of the most memorable contemporary
circus shows of recent years.”
La Presse; Montréal, Canada — 9/10 review

“Play Dead is currently one of the truly sublime artistic achievements of
contemporary circus. It includes the world’s highest artistic level of an
uncompromising character, captivates with visually engaging images associating
tenebrism and naturalism in 17th century painting, and with the overall action on
stage draws you into the dreamy timelessness of surrealism.”
Dance Zone; Prague, Czech Republic

“People Watching has created with barbaric finesse, with the subtlety of
watchmaking precision, a piece of such power that forces the eye not to want to
miss a single detail.”
La Verdad; San Javier, Spain

 

People Watching: Play Dead. Photo: Damian Siqueiros

People Watching: Play Dead. Photo: Alexander Galliez

In addition to the three performances at Dance House Helsinki, Play Dead can be seen at the Oulu Theatre on Saturday 16 May.

https://www.peoplewatchingcollective.com/