Maybe It’s Only Us - Flipside Circus

'Maybe It's Only Us'Premier Season Marking Image

27 Nov - 7 Dec 2025

Brisbane Circus Centre | Flipside Circus

Maybe It’s Only Us throws audiences into the aftermath of a failed music festival—where the party is over, a threat is looming, and survival feels uncertain. Intense and anarchic, this collaboration from Flipside Circus and The Good Room transforms the Brisbane Circus Centre into a sprawling circus apparatus. Blurring the line between performance and environment.

Combining daring physicality, promenade staging, and raw honesty, the work channels the lived experiences of young people to capture a generation navigating chaos and searching for connection. Grounded in verbatim stories, it’s Lord of the Flies meets Fyre Festival. Maybe It’s Only Us is part survival story, part fever dream—a visceral journey through collapse and resilience. Urgent, powerful, and unflinchingly alive, it reimagines circus as a space where vulnerability, rebellion, and hope collide.

Recommended for ages 8+.

Production Images

'Maybe It's Only Us' production photo, 2025. Creative Futures Photography.

Click on the Cast Member's name to view their bio (if available).

I started circus at 5 years old and fell in love with it, throughout the years I tried many different activities but always came back to circus. I have done many amazing shows with Flipside circus performance troupe, some of my favourites include: Wasteland, Dogs In The Schoolyard, From Little Things and Clandestine The Cabaret. My favourite part of the Maybe It’s Only Us experience has been watching all of the ideas and tricks come to life.

Since 2013, circus has been Aurora’s whole world. Beginning at Circa, she quickly progressed to the Circa Zoo program, the moved to the Flipside performance troupe. During shows including Statum (2019), Dogs is the Schoolyard (2021), and Matilda Award nominee, From Little Things (2023), her love for the art only grew. Since graduating in 2023, Aurora has begun studying a Bachelors of Clinical Exercise Physiology with honours at UQ, and has been accepted into the Bachelors of Circus Arts at the National Institute of Circus Arts. She has loved the process of creating Maybe It’s Only Us, and is excited to get back on stage.

I began training nine years ago on a number of different aerial apparatus in a small town in regional NSW. Earlier this year, my family and I moved to Brisbane and I turned my attention to aerial competition and growing as a performer. Being a part of Maybe It's Only Us has made it possible for me to expand into different areas of circus that I had not yet explored and was a great opportunity to try acro, incorporating it into my performance skillset.

I am Callum Cornish and I am a juggler, wirewalker and acrobat who has been doing circus since the beginning of 2023. I really enjoy learning and problem solving both by myself and with others. My favourite part about circus is probably all the people I get to meet and learn with whilst pushing myself to my limits. My training has been through Flipside Circus, and my first circus performance was in a showing of Six Degrees by Chimera Arts. I’ve loved getting to explore big ideas and new apparatus through Maybe It's Only Us that I wouldn’t normally have had the opportunity to experience.

I started circus at Flipside when I was around seven years old after spending several years in gymnastics and dance. Previously I have performed in the Flipside shows The Show Must Go On and The Infinite Scroll along with countless Fiestas. Maybe It’s Only Us has been such a fun show to be part of and help create. I particularly enjoyed the development process where we were really told anything was possible.

I began at Flipside Circus 12 years ago when I was 4 years old, it has been a huge part of my life since and couldn't imagine my life without it. I started in community shows when I was 8 and did some smaller projects along the way but Maybe It's Only Us is one of my first large productions. I have loved the journey so far and love that I have gotten to share this experience with my friends at Flipside.

Isla began circus at Flipside when she was 5 and has been performing with Flipside's Performance Troupe since she was 10 in 2021. She specialises in aerial silks, and group/duo acro, and has enjoyed training in tightwire as another specialty skill during the development of this show. Isla has performed in various shows including Summer Play Factor - SPF, We Live Here 2022 for Awesome Festival in Perth and Brisbane Metro Arts, From Little Things with Flipside and Casus Creations, The Southbank Christmas Show 2021-2023, Circus Mix Tape for Brisbane Festival 2023 and ATE 2025 convention at The Brisbane Convention Centre. She is also a junior trainer at Flipside Circus, assisting with coaching 2-16yr old participants. Isla loves creating and performing and would love to work professionally as a circus artist in the future.

I began my circus journey in 2020, building on a background in dance, gymnastics, and musical theatre. Since joining Flipside, I’ve had the privilege of performing in Infinite Scroll, Mix Tape, Counter Pilot, The South Bank Christmas Show, the Out of the Box Children’s Festival, Carnival of the animals (with Circa), and most recently, Maybe It’s Only Us!

Throughout the creation of this latest production, I’ve loved exploring the imaginative and innovative spirit that has shaped the show. It’s been an inspiring process—one that has challenged me creatively while celebrating the joy of performance.

I first tried out circus at a Flipside workshop when I was 4 and I was hooked! I started training at Circa, and moved to Flipside Circus at the start of the year, joining the performance troupe shortly afterwards. My favourite act is aerials and also acro, where I have learned so much this year! This is my first proper show, and I've really enjoyed working with the rest of the troupe and creating Maybe It's Only Us.

I started circus when I was nine, after spending several years in gymnastics and vaulting—gymnastics on a horse—which first sparked my love for movement. Since then, I’ve trained across all circus disciplines, developing a broad skill set and a passion for performing. I’ve appeared in many shows over the years, each one helping me grow as an artist and discover new sides of myself on stage. Being part of Maybe It’s Only Us has been a truly special experience; I’ve loved getting to know everyone, building connections, and creating memories that I’ll carry with me into my future circus journey.

Willow Thomas, 14, began gymnastics at the age of five and has been part of Flipside since 2022. She has developed a strong love for performing, embracing every opportunity to grow as a young circus artist. Her recent shows include Ready with Step Ups and Stir the Pot with Collective Circus, where she enjoyed expressing her creativity on stage. Throughout Maybe It's Only Us rehearsals, Willow has treasured making new memories with her Flipside family and values the supportive environment that helps her thrive. She continues to challenge herself by exploring new apparatus and expanding her skills, always striving to improve and inspire.

Director/Creator: Nathan Sibthorpe

Nathan Sibthorpe is a contemporary performance-maker and video designer. He is best known as the Artistic Director of Counterpilot – the award-winning team of transmedia performance artists. Nathan has received three Matilda Awards including the Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work (2018), the award for Best AV Design (2017), and the Judge’s Award for “pushing artistic boundaries” (2022). Nathan was also the recipient of the Dr Don Batchelor Award for Drama Research at QUT (2017) and a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Young People (2022). Nathan was previously Queensland Theatre Company’s Geek-In-Residence in 2012-14. He sometimes teaches performance studies at QUT, where he holds a Masters Degree in contemporary performance.

Director/Creator: Bridget Boyle

Dr Bridget Boyle is a co-founder of debase productions. She has worked extensively in the field of clowning as a director, performer and teacher, having studied with Philippe Gaulier in 2001.

Directing credits include for Queensland Theatre: Pride and Prejudice (co-directed with Daniel Evans), The Holidays, The Longest Minute (co-pro with JUTE and debase), Rice (QPDA Finalists reading), The Landmine is Me and Hurry up and Wait. The Lost Balloon (Mask Family/ RPAC). Breaking the Castle (Sydney Opera House, QPAC, Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Old Red Lion, London). An Ideal Husband (La Boite), Weathering Well (Brisbane Powerhouse and QLD tour), for JUTE theatre: Cloudsong (creative development), To Kill a Cassowary. For Flipside Circus and Metro Arts: We Live Here (co-directed with Natano Fa’anana, Winner, Best Direction 2018 Matilda Awards), The Outhouse , Babushka Book Club, Right to Party, The Owl and the Pussycat (Little Match Productions, Brisbane Festival, Festival 2018, Flowspace), Angels in America, Gloria, Dead Man’s Cellphone, Little Revolution, Bassett, Twelve Angry Women and Top Girls for Queensland University of Technology, Death in a Statesman, Popping Lead Balloons, The Clown from Snowy River, Lovejunk and Titanic – the Clown Show for debase productions.

Writers/Creators: Nathan Sibthorpe and Amy Ingram

Directors/Creators: Nathan Sibthorpe and Bridget Boyle

Dramaturg/Creator: Robert Kronk

Performers/Creators: Aurora Bennett-Godde, Callum Cornish, Cristina Gambley, Ella Ronquest-Ross, Gabriella Cini, Jesse Davies, Jedda Bell, Isabelle Kennedy, Isla Fletcher, Luke Whitefield, Rose Downey, Rowan Hargrave, Stephanie McGrath, Sophie Saunders, Talea Cubela, and Willow Thomas.

Drummer: Qashfil Remy

Rigging Designer/Creator: Alex Weckes-Huck

Sound Designer and Composer: Guy Webster

Associate Sound Designer/Composer: Andrew Oxford

Production Designer: Adelaide Lukin

Lighting Designer: Christine Felmingham

Video Designer: Nathan Sibthorpe

Trainers: Alex Weckes-Huck, Jian Nie, Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis, Aurora Bennett-Godde, Luke Whitefield, Riley McDonald, Lucy Hunterland and Anabella Gregory

Production Manager: Gabriela Gallardo

Production Manager and Stage Manager: Kelsey Booth

Technical Manager: Freddy Komp

Front of House Coordinator: Nic Taube

Reserve Show Operator: Aaron Jeffrey

Recommended for ages 8+.

This promenade performance moves through indoor and outdoor spaces with some uneven ground (grass/dirt). Audience will stand and move for most of the performance; limited seating will be available.

The performance is accessible for wheelchairs users or patrons with mobility requirements. Please indicate at time of booking if you have any mobility requirements.

The performance includes periods of darkness, low lighting, confined spaces, and use of smoke/haze (flashing lights TBC).

Performance proceeds in light rain, please bring a raincoat or umbrella. In wet weather, the show may be postponed or truncated. In the event the performance is postponed, make up performances will be available.

Latecomers may not be admitted until there is a suitable break in the performance.

Logos: Creative Australia; Queensland Government; Northshore Hamilton; BMD

This project is assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body; the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland; Northshore Hamilton; and BMD.

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