Acrobatic Troupe Cirque Mechanics to Return to Malibu

High-flying acrobatic troupe Cirque Mechanics will bring their mechanical-inspired show Birdhouse Factory to the Smothers stage at Pepperdine University in Malibu on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, at 7:30 PM.

Birdhouse Factory was inspired, in part, by the masterful industry murals of Mexican artist Diego Rivera, the outrageous illustrations of cartoonist Rube Goldberg and the slap-stick humor of Charlie Chaplin's film Modern Times. While these inspirations make Birdhouse Factory artful, nostalgic and funny, the true essence of the show comes from the circus.

The show is a simple story of daily life in a widgets factory circa 1935 as workers are brought together by the most unlikely of events, a bird accidentally injured by the main steam boiler. The accident and caring for the bird, brings the workers closer together and inspires them to break away from the monotony of the assembly-line. They showcase their true inner talents and abilities by using their bodies and machines to build birdhouses in a more joyous and soulful way.

Cirque Mechanics was founded in 2004 by Boston native and German Wheel artist Chris Lashua after the success of his collaborative project with the Circus Center of San Francisco, Birdhouse Factory. Cirque Mechanics quickly established itself as a premiere American circus, with its unique approach to performance, inspiring storytelling and innovative mechanical staging. Spectacle magazine hailed it as "the greatest contribution to the American circus since Cirque du Soleil."

The group, although inspired by modern circus, finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity. The shows, rooted in realism, display a raw quality, rarely found in modern circus, that makes their message timeless and relevant. The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around. The troupe has created four extraordinary productions; Birdhouse Factory, Boomtown, Pedal Punk, and 42FT—A Menagerie of Mechanics Marvels.

For additional information, and to purchase tickets, visit the Center for the Arts website.