This week, a story about connection through theatricality and a night at the circus.



For Persephone, La Clique is both home and family. She shares childhood memories spent in circus cabaret wings, sketching and watching performers she now calls colleagues. 



The episode also features Harley Mann, custodian of Na Djinang Circus, a First Nations led contemporary troupe. Blending Indigenous themes with Western circus traditions, Harley explores “identity” and how “failures", both choreographed and accidental, bring authenticity to circuses, blending superhuman feats with human vulnerability.



Ending the episode is David Bates, Persephone’s father and founder of La Clique. Walking down the memory lane of La Clique’s past and its iconic Spiegel tent, the father-daughter look toward the future of circus and cabaret, celebrating its ever-evolving nature and its power to bring joy, and provoke thoughts.



Under the circus lights, we are all part of the act—each gasp, each clap a heartbeat in the night; a legacy that pulses wonder across generations.



This story was produced by Phoebe Adler-Ryan. With special thanks to Harley Mann, David Bates and Persephone D'Arbela Bates for sharing their stories.



You can see La Clique at the Sydney Opera House until November 17.



Find out more about Na Djinang and their next tour dates at: https://www.nadjinang.com.au/



Music Credits



This story featured Kotoba, Usufruct, Primordial by Nuisance from the Free Music Archive.



And music from La Clique including Hurry On Down by Madam And The Rent Party, Curtain Call by La Soirée and the La Clique Trailertheme.

This week, a story about connection through theatricality and a night at the circus.
 
For Persephone, La Clique is both home and family. She shares childhood memories spent in circus cabaret wings, sketching and watching performers she now calls colleagues. 
 
The episode also features Harley Mann, custodian of Na Djinang Circus, a First Nations led contemporary troupe. Blending Indigenous themes with Western circus traditions, Harley explores “identity” and how “failures", both choreographed and accidental, bring authenticity to circuses, blending superhuman feats with human vulnerability.
 
Ending the episode is David Bates, Persephone’s father and founder of La Clique. Walking down the memory lane of La Clique’s past and its iconic Spiegel tent, the father-daughter look toward the future of circus and cabaret, celebrating its ever-evolving nature and its power to bring joy, and provoke thoughts.
 
Under the circus lights, we are all part of the act—each gasp, each clap a heartbeat in the night; a legacy that pulses wonder across generations.

This story was produced by Phoebe Adler-Ryan. With special thanks to Harley Mann, David Bates and Persephone D'Arbela Bates for sharing their stories.
 
You can see <a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/musical-theatre-cabaret/la-clique?gad_source=1&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw7Py4BhCbARIsAMMx-_KiMh30DQin-6K0yYcWscugrjbxtRD4fd8VtKLyC3Otk93oUw4NcaQaAuKZEALw_wcB">La Clique at the Sydney Opera House</a> until November 17.
 
Find out more about Na Djinang and their next tour dates at: https://www.nadjinang.com.au/
 
Music Credits
 
This story featured Kotoba, Usufruct, Primordial by Nuisance from the Free Music Archive.
 
And music from La Clique including Hurry On Down by Madam And The Rent Party, Curtain Call by La Soirée and the La Clique Trailer theme.

All The Best is for new Australian storytelling. Hear from a Melbourne-based cannibal, how the Australian Wallabies used theatre workshops to improve their game, anxiety attacks in a Tantric sex class, and what the shopping centre Santa Claus is really thinking, all on All The Best. 


We're a weekly radio show and podcast produced at FBi Radio in Sydney in association with SYN and Triple R in Melbourne, and broadcast nationally via the Community Radio Network. We’ve been telling stories in a variety of forms since 2011, picking a theme each week and using short form documentary, personal narrative, interviews, and spoken word to bring you the best from across Australia.

All The Best is for new Australian storytelling. Hear from a Melbourne-based cannibal, how the Australian Wallabies used theatre workshops to improve their game, anxiety attacks in a Tantric sex class, and what the shopping centre Santa Claus is really thinking, all on All The Best. 
 
We're a weekly radio show and podcast produced at FBi Radio in Sydney in association with SYN and Triple R in Melbourne, and broadcast nationally via the Community Radio Network. We’ve been telling stories in a variety of forms since 2011, picking a theme each week and using short form documentary, personal narrative, interviews, and spoken word to bring you the best from across Australia.

Advertisement