A O Lang Pho (Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam)

Successfully programming a major international arts festival is a question of balance. At this year's PIAF, for example, artistic director Wendy Martin has brought some truly world-class productions to WA, such as Johnathan Young and Crystal Pite's astonishing and devastating study of grief, Betroffenheit, or the acclaimed theatre marathon exploring America's political maelstrom, The Gabriels. These are works that hungry, hardcore theatre lovers will gobble up with relish, but they will no doubt be intimidating for some less seasoned culture seekers.

It's for this reason that shows like A O Lang Pho are such an important presence on the billing of international festivals in Australia. Presented by the Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam, this fun, family-friendly, and culturally rich production fuses traditional circus craft with an exploration of the many faces of this Southeast Asian nation. It uses an approachable and accessible form to bring global visions to local audiences; the very essence of events like PIAF.

Much of the circus component of this production is relatively straight forward. There are feats of balance, acrobatics, a little mild contortion, and even some extreme frisbee. But they are spun with the very fabric of Vietnam, through traditional rattan-woven boats and baskets, bamboo poles and reed brushes. The versatility shown in using these simple props to conjure so many vistas is impressive. At times, this show is almost architectural in its beauty, so what it may lack in technical virtuosity it certainly makes up for with aesthetic class. It also plays with scale as well as form, as the performers on stage become scurrying beetles or quacking geese. 

It's the touchingly lyrical storytelling element of A O Lang Pho that galvanises the many brief vignettes and acrobatic displays into a cohesive whole. As the narrative moves from the provinces to the modern, urbanised regions of contemporary Vietnam, there is another slight of hand with scale, as bamboo scaffolds are transformed into skyscrapers. We see individual families going about their lives, enjoying a romantic drink, working out, or indulging in a private one-person dance party in the living room. It's a sweetly knowing nod to the universality at the heart of all human life.

Some of these brief interludes are less engaging than others, and occasionally smack a little of vamping for time. There is also a tendency for breakneck pace, with certain scenes lasting only a minute or so. With such impressive feats on display, it's a bit of a headscratcher why some acts are whisked away so swiftly. Largely, however, this is a charming and winningly charismatic production with a hell of a lot of heart. As the performers dance off the stage following the curtain call and into the auditorium, you'd have to be quite the curmudgeon not to find yourself heading out of the theatre with a spring in your step and smile on your face.

Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam presents A O Lang Pho, at the Regal Theatre to 25 Feb, part of the Perth International Arts Festival.