Punks fly high with circus vibe

CIRCUS Oz Rock Bang joins the self-proclaimed biggest band in the world with Circus Oz in a circus rock-opera extravaganza at the Theatre Royal from today.

Dysfunctional siblings Astrid and Otto Rot from Melbourne comedy punk-rock duo Die Roten Punkte rolled into town yesterday with the circus after a show in Devonport on Tuesday.

With the help of Circus Oz acrobats and aerialists, the pair will tell their fantastical life story — of growing up as orphans in artist-filled squats to become the darlings of Berlin’s underground rock scene.

“We started playing rock and roll when we were kids and we were inspired by a lot of like ’80s new wave kind of bands, like post punk bands — people that were into pop music but also into arty things as well, like Devo and B52s, Stooges, the Ramones and Blondie, like a lot of that New York kind of thing,” Otto said.

Astrid said they were recruited by a former Circus Oz artistic director looking to make a name for himself by booking the biggest band in the world to join forces with the circus.

“They said, ‘if we can get the best band in the world, oh my goodness, this show’s going to go around the world’,” she said.

“Otto and I just went, ‘yeah, that’s probably true’.

“We said yes and then we were on the plane to Circus Oz and we’ve been collaborating ever since.”

The pair described the show as being like a party on the stage.

“We have this rock and roll power and then they are doing like stunts and flips and tricks,” Otto said.

“They even taught me how to do some things. I sing a song like five metres up in the air.”

The pair said the show was not suitable for children under 13 years.

“Sometimes there’s bad words,” Otto said.

Circus Oz Rock Bang runs from today until Saturday at the Theatre Royal in Hobart.

Tickets start from $35 from theatreroyal.com.au