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Poetical, poignant and humouristic acrobatics of the highest calibre!
The Canadian company People Watching premiered Play Dead in 2023, and it has since become one of the major circus events of recent years.
Set in a shifting world of domestic scenes and intertwined stories, Play Dead offers a surreal take on the familiar. Blending world-class acrobatics, dance, and physical theatre, it casts contemporary circus in a fresh light, and full of searing emotions. By zooming in on ordinary moments, the show reveals how beautiful, twisted, and absurd everyday life can be—celebrating it like a final dance before the party ends.
“Drama, emotion, seduction – this production is a feast for the eyes.”
– The Berliner
People Watching is a Montreal based collective, creating at the intersection of contemporary circus, dance and physical theatre- Each personally established in their field, the six artists have worked for companies such as The 7 Fingers, Circa, Cirque du Soleil and Broadway.
Founded in the tumultuous Spring of 2020, the collective was initially moved to investigate ways in which intimacy could be shared with an audience during a time of profound seclusion. The inquisitive nature of this creative process has laid the groundwork for a practice that seeks connection over grandiosity. Weaving in the visceral language of circus with their organic approach to acrobatics, the company has established a body of work that has reached national and international recognition in the performing arts community, and has fostered collaborations with a multitude of established venues, festivals, creatives and companies.
In 2025, the collective was named associate artists at Usine C, launching a two-year residency that will serve as a creative engine for new works.
Read more: People Watching
“Not only did the six Montreal artists of People Watching offer us the festival’s favorite show, but they also created one of the most memorable contemporary circus shows of recent years.”
– La Presse; Montreal, Canada
Artistic Direction and performance Ruben Ingwersen, Jérémi Levesque, Natasha Patterson, Brin Schoellkopf, Jarrod Takle, Sabine Van Rensburg
Set Design Emily Nicole Tucker
Sound Design Colin Gagné
Music Michal Aloni, Francisco Cruz, Olivier Landry-Gagnon, Stefan Boucher
Lighting Design Émile Lafortune
Costumes Camille Thibault-Bédard, Catherine Veri, Jonathan Saucier, Paul Rose
Carpentry Alastair Davies, Atelier Moa
Dramaturgic Assistance Peter James, Isabelle Chasse, Gypsy Snider
Production & Tour Management Léah Wolff
International Representation: Aurora Nova
Funded by: Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts de Montréal
Support: The 7 Fingers, White Wall Studio, Patro Villeray, Phantom Theater
The visit is organized in collaboration with Oulu Theatre and Cirko – Center for New Circus.
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Performance
sat 16.5.2026 at 16
Venue
Oulu Theatre, Main stage
Kaarlenväylä 2
Tickets
Normal 46€
Retired 42€
Students, unemployed, children and youth 0-26 years, military and civil service conscript 34€
Ticket sales
Oulu Theatre box office, Kaarlenväylä 2
Oulu Theatre online shop
Lippu.fi
Age recommendation
For adults and children 10+
Duration
70 min, no intermission
Accessibility
Read here about accessibility at Oulu Theatre.
The performance is non-verbal.
Oulu is the European Capital of Culture for the year 2026. Play Dead is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change.
