Although scheduled as part of the winter school holiday show programme for the Sydney Opera House, Pay No Attention is thoroughly entertaining for all age groups. Advertised as suitable for 4-year-olds and up, this 60-minute show demonstrates the incredible skill and talent of a group of 13 young acrobats, with ages ranging from 11 to 17. They are the Flying Fruit Fly Circus.
The Flying Fruit Fly Circus offers a full-time circus program to young people from as young as 8 years through to 19 years old. It is the only full-time training program in the country and runs for an entire school year. Teaching the core fundamentals of balance, acrobatics, aerial and manipulation, Pay No Attention is in effect, a showcase of the students’ achievements thus far.
Each of these acrobats deserve their own individual mention, who performed brilliantly and worked together perfectly on the stage: Griffin Castagna (16), Olivia Crawford (14), Ava Dedic (11), Matilda Devine (17), Etta Gramlick (14), Spencer Haberecht (14), Ava Hitchcock (13), Macy Hossack (16), Ethan McDonald (16), Jemima Paine (15), Jovita Paul (17), Issy Stirling (15), Owen Watchorn (11). These names will be published again, as they are truly the next generation of artists we will be seeing again and again on stages across Australia and overseas.
Pay No Attention includes aerial hoop, aerial silks, Chinese pole, straps, hula hooping, and even a little clowning around. It provides such a great variety of acrobatics which are covered in a short, tight timeframe, all performed on various levels in the beautiful Studio Theatre of the Sydney Opera House. The theatre is dimly lit to create an atmospheric mood, and smoke haze covers the stage for that added intrigue and mystery. The anticipation levels were high, and the acrobatics were executed to a very high standard.
Why is this show titled ‘Pay No Attention’? When all you can do is pay direct attention to these performers (and hold your breath and then applaud continuously). The phrase refers to the theme of the show, which tackles these young people coming into their own, developing their own identities, and becoming who they uniquely are in the face of the (deep) fakes they are consistently exposed to in the current landscape (namely, media/technology).
Whether you look at it through this lens or not, Pay No Attention is an incredible energy-enriched show that everyone will enjoy. The tricks and manoeuvres are startlingly impressive. Your kids are guaranteed to ask you to come back for more.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended on 5 July 2026.
Pay No Attention is playing from 4 – 19 July 2026 at the Studio, Sydney Opera House.
Tickets available here: Pay No Attention | Sydney Opera House
All photos from Daniel Boud
