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Meet The Artist: Jon Bonaventura from Circa

Jon Bonaventura is a member of the Australian company Circa. From August, he will be appearing on our stage for the first time in Circa’s new production Wolf.

Such a good reason to get to know him better! That’s why we asked him some questions – let’s Meet The Artist!

From the show: The photo shows Jon Bonaventura standing there whilst the other performers are lying on the floor. Jon is wearing short orange trousers and a black mesh top.

Hi Jon! You haven’t performed at the Chamäleon yet, but you’ve been here before as a guest. What did you see and what was your impression?

The first thing I ever saw at the Chamäleon was Beyond by Circa in 2013, it was where I met the company initially. My impression of it was a group of people that really liked each other and were doing circus in a way that I had never really seen before. There were a few people I was really close friends with so it was great to see them do their thing in this really amazing space.

That was how I formed a relationship with the company and then two years later I started working for them in the exact same show.

Please tell us a little bit about your journey into the circus world.

My journey was kind of nonlinear because I started performing quite young in film and TV as a stunt double and actor and then dove really hardcore into competitive gymnastics. When I got to the end of my gymnastics career and realized I probably wasn’t going to go to the Olympics I didn’t know what to do with my very specific skill set. Then I found NICA, which is the circus school in Melbourne, and auditioned for that. I did a four-year degree and met Circa halfway through that in Berlin. They picked me up pretty much immediately on graduation and I’ve been on and off with the company since 2015.

Two different photos from shows side by side. Both show Jon Bonaventura. On the left, he is suspended between two blue cloths held taut by two men, wearing a tight-fitting white suit, and the whole photo is bathed in blue light. In the second photo, he is hanging from a rope with one arm and looking down, whilst the background is completely black.

So you’ve been part of Circa for many years now. What is it like to work within a circus ensemble? 

What I love about working in a circus ensemble is the amount of time spent with the same people, which means your connection is really deep and your physical skill can really advance and also deviate into different things. You get time to try a lot of stuff with the same people and fail a lot in a safe space, so you’re not constantly starting from scratch and learning again and again you’re building.

Who or what particularly influences you creatively? Are there any role models?

I’m a big nerd for contemporary dance and physical theatre, so a lot of the influences for me is dance work such as those by Dimitris Papaioannou, who is a Greek choreographer that I love. A lot of his work is image based and really emotive but not narrative – which lends itself to circus really well. I feel like we are really edging into that more with Wolf then we have in a long time.

Is there a highlight from your time as a circus artist that you would like to share with us?

That’s hard! I mean for me going back to the same festivals – going back to Edinburgh repeatedly – is a real highlight because of the community that is built. You share a venue with the same companies and you get to build a relationship, which is really cool! We have been spending a lot of time with Cirque Alfonse and every time we go back to the festival and see them their kids have gotten a little bit bigger, which is kind of amazing. So that’s what I like the most about touring and being a performer: Being able to build a network of people that are really cool.

From a show: Jon Bonaventura is standing on the handle of a large mop, which is being carried by two people, one on either side. They are all wearing black bodysuits and yellow trousers that are far too big, with braces.

And last but not least: You’ll soon be in Berlin for several months. What are you particularly looking forward to?

I’m so excited to be in my own place and in one place! I’m really excited to be in the Chamäleon after a decade of being an audience member, it feels very full circle. I love Berlin, it feels like home so it is exciting to go back to a place that I know really well. I feel like this period of time for me is about routine and kind of long relationships – with the venue, the city and the people. So it feels like a really cool time to be coming.

(c) Photos: David Kelly (1), Pia Johnson (2), Amos Adams (3), Pia Johnson (4)

 

 

Wolf by Circa at Chamäleon

Wolf is Circa’s latest production and a special creation for our 20th anniversary season. Wolf will premiere at the Chamäleon in August.

20.08.24 – 05.01.25

Further information and tickets

 

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