An honest piece about the experiences of an acrobat today, while expecting her first child. She brings us along on this emotional rollercoaster ride and talks about the hardships, the ridiculousness and the unspoken beauties of this state. While slower, heavier and more careful, an acrobat is still an acrobat. Prepare for some awkward stand up comedy and a big pile of beans spiced with some delicate circus.

The piece came to life with the support of ‘Találkozások’, a funding for intergenerational collaborations, to which Sophie applied as a duo with her foetus. Apart from the clearly visible physiological changes she shares her fears and realisations verbally. While it is her very own journey, pregnancy is a shared experience across all humans that we generally talk very little about in detail. We tend to only show the idyllic and bright side and think of all the frustrations as a side effect of hormonal imbalance. In addition the piece provides a sneak peak into the healthcare system and bureaucratic maze of Hungary today. 

The performance is very verbal, but the main character is in constant motion, using elements of object manipulation, handstand and aerial acrobatics. While her partner is assisting behind the scenes and only gets pulled in for a hand to hand duo towards the end. The show contains some interactive parts and the duration is about 45 minutes.

As it turned out the piece premiered in June 2021, only two weeks before the birth of the performer's first daughter. Originally they did not plan to play it after the pregnancy, but due to the enthusiastic feedback, the show got presented a few times in 2022 in different theatres and festivals in Hungary. While not pregnant anymore, Sophie is wearing a realistic silicone belly that she only removes in the outro of the performance to reveal the truth. While the show has only been played in Hungarian, an English translation is on the way.

Performers, creators:

Sophie Zoletnik, Lennart Paar

Mentor: Beáta Egyed

Lights, sound: Janka Galkó

Video: János Szabó

Photo:  Péter Nemesházi, Noémi Árki 

Sponsors, partners: Inspiral Circus Center, Bethen Theater, Firebirds Productions, Találkozások - Fund for intergenerational duets