The Fruit Bats BM tour

The Fruit Bats, an incredible older adult’s circus troupe, have been invited to perform in the Blue Mountains as part of the 2024 Seniors Festival. Supporting this wonderful opportunity allows the mountains community to share in the joy and magic of circus for all ages. Using human pyramids, juggling, slapstick, comedy, and movement The Fruit Bats will inspire everyone to stay young at heart. 

This invitation has been extended by Bah-Hah Circus, a local Blue Mountains Community Circus School, run by Stuart Christie, ex trainer for the Flying Fruit Fly Circus and The Fruit Bats.

The aim of this crowdfund campaign is to cover the costs of accommodation and travel for the Fruit Bats to visit the Blue Mountains in March 2024. This venture is purely independent, unfunded, and not designed to profit but to share and expose the Blue Mountains to the Fruit Bats and the joy of circus they have. 

The Fruit Bats circus troupe came from a program designed to provide an opportunity for older adults in the Northeast Victoria and Albury area, to experience a range of basic circus activities in a supported environment.

The idea of an Older Person’s Circus project came about after the inspirational visit to the NE Victoria by the Melbourne-Based Performing Older Women’ Circus in early 2003. The program, operating out of the home of The Flying Fruit Circus in Hovell Street, Albury, is run by very experienced and skilled circus trainers. One particular trainer in the past was Cleet Ball a veteran performer of the vauvdville era who passed on some classic routines and performance styles of the time.

            The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will supporting this project by hosting The Fruit Bats for a performance in their outdoor amphitheater on the Saturday the 23rd of March. The following day Bah-Hah Circus in Blackheath will be hosting the Fruit Bats for an older adult Circus Workshop on the Sunday the 24th of March.

            The Fruit Bats show on the 23rd will be a collection of short variety style acts they have learnt and developed over the years as a troupe from the influential circus professionals and trainers that have also taught at the flying fruit fly school. These will have elements of comedy, slapstick, and movement reminiscent of the vaudeville era of the 30’s and the variety acts of the 50’s. Using human pyramids, juggling and comedy these older circus performers will enchant all who watch. 

The major costs are travelling and accomodating th Fruit Bats, 

there will be 8 rooms in a motel for 3 nights at $432 

and 4 cars traveling a 1200km round trip roughly $960 in petrol costs 

8h of administration work by stuart christie at $30 an hour

workshop facilitaion by Stuart Christie $180 and Workshop hall hire is also included $44