Ingrained directed by Liisa Nuuk of Hands Some Feet is a delightfully charming showcase of craftsmanship and artistry, with performer Jeromy Nuuk blending woodworking and circus to create a 45-minute show unlike any other.
To put it simply, Nuuk uses his woodworking and cabinetry skills to create juggling props in real time, and then wows the audience with his magical circus skills. He creates a narrative about ‘a day in the life’ of a woodworker in his shop, which unfolds around a compact wooden bench that features a lathe, a radio, various tools, and other trappings of the trade.
Nuuk finds comedy in unexpected places and mundane objects like, for instance, grappling with an unruly radio antenna and a wandering tin cup. He wows with dexterous juggling and full-body movement as he travels with a dancer’s grace around the set in increasingly complex and numerous configurations of wooden balls and other objects.
He embraces stillness and contemplation as a performer, generating anticipation for each new ‘trick’, which definitely gives the show its unique feel; flashy 1-2 punches come only after the tone is set, the story is established, and all the small details have been seen to. It’s the attention to creating a layered sensory experience, like the smell of sawdust wafting in the air, making sure the thermos steams when it’s opened (even on a hot summer day), and adding local colour to the radio broadcast (performed by Ella Norton and Adam Bear) that make Ingrained stand out.
Ingrained is also timeless and ageless in its appeal, inviting both giggling kids and smiling older folks in equal measure to appreciate the art of lovingly doing things by hand and creating wonder with the simplest of elements.
If you missed out on this well-crafted, handmade circus show at FRINGE WORLD 2025, you might have the chance to see its creators performing again very soon in Walyalup/Fremantle, so stay tuned for further announcements.
CICELY BINFORD
Ingrained by Hands Some Feet was presented at FRINGE WORLD 2025. For more information about this and other shows from the company, visit their website here.
