She said being back on stage has invigorated her and there's no going back.
It was the era of the flapper, a time of over-the-top partying and love of all things extravagant. The days of the Roaring Twenties and The Great Gatsby have inspired a new show at Cresta's CiRK Theater.
This performance is based on a themed soirée celebrating F. Scott Fitzgerald's stories of sometimes reckless abandon.
Performer Claudia Moruzzi's appearance on the show also marks her return to the stage after spending most of her career as an artist's agent and caring for her sick husband. “My midlife crisis is about getting back into performing,” she said. “I decided I had to find myself again, so I joined the circus, so to speak.”
And she said so. She said being back on stage has invigorated her and there's no going back. “I'll keep doing this until my body won't allow it,” she said. “This is my place. On the silk, in the air.”
Moruzzi's performance is physically demanding but satisfying. “There is something truly magical about being lifted into the air and having your body move freely as you wish. And that magic is reflected in the experience of the audience. It’s incredible to see what you have,” she said.
party with flappers
The Gatsby Extravaganza offers audiences much more than that, she said. The show is an ode to an era that brings to life the hedonism, glamor, and gritty undercurrents of the Jazz Age, without a strict narrative. This show has been in the works for a while. “We've been talking about it forever,” Claudia said. “The director had this vision, and it finally took shape.”
“It's loosely inspired by Gatsby,” Moruzzi said. “This is about the energy of the time, wild parties, jazz, and heartbreak.” The show is “eye candy” in every way, inviting you to escape and escape from reality. “You don't have to think. You just have to sit and be amazed,” she said.
CiRK Theater has an intimate atmosphere, where the action takes place close to the audience. “We're so close that I can hear people whispering to each other sometimes on stage,” she said. Comments like “Oh, I can do that too,” “Look at that dress,” and “I want to make this a hobby” are common gossip. “People forget that we're live. I think we're so used to TV and streaming these days that we forget that we're right here, right in front of you. It’s so funny because they don’t realize we’re hearing voices,” she said.
You need humor to survive backstage
Moruzzi said a sense of humor is also necessary to survive before, during and after the show. “We're all in a state of excitement. It's chaos,” she said. “People help me zip up dresses or pass me headpieces. There's a real camaraderie. You can see that we're all working together to make it happen. We all work together to make it happen. , it's like being part of a crazy, beautiful dance that only we know.”
Gatsby Extravaganza runs through December 15th, Fridays, Saturdays at 7pm, and Sunday matinees. Tickets cost between R180 and R300 and can be purchased at thecirk.co.
She said Gatsby Extravaganza offers audiences much more than that. The show is an ode to an era that brings to life the hedonism, glamor, and gritty undercurrents of the Jazz Age, without a strict narrative. This show has been in the works for a while. “We've been talking about it forever,” Claudia said. “The director had this vision, and it finally took shape.”
“It's loosely inspired by Gatsby,” Moruzzi said. “This is about the energy of the time, wild parties, jazz, and heartbreak.” The show is “eye candy” in every way, inviting you to escape and escape from reality. “You don't have to think. You just have to sit and be amazed,” she said.
CiRK Theater has an intimate atmosphere, where the action takes place close to the audience. “We're so close that I can hear people whispering to each other sometimes on stage,” she said. Comments like “Oh, I can do that,” “Look at that dress,” and “I want to make this a hobby” are common gossip. “People forget that we're live. I think we're so used to TV and streaming these days that we forget that we're right here, right in front of you. It's so funny because they don't realize we're hearing them,” she said.
You need humor to survive backstage
Moruzzi said a sense of humor is also necessary to survive before, during and after the show. “We're all in a state of excitement. It's chaos,” she said. “People help me zip up dresses or pass me headpieces. There's a real camaraderie. You can see that we're all working together to make it happen. We all work together to make it happen. , it's like being part of a crazy, beautiful dance that only we know.”
Gatsby Extravaganza runs through December 15th, Fridays, Saturdays at 7pm, and Sunday matinees. Tickets cost between R180 and R300 and can be purchased here.
