This show belongs to the Adelaide Fringe 2026 season. This season is now over.

Striking woman in a kimono with aerial acrobatics happening around her
the cast of Gasha stand and crouch on stage, the centre woman holds a paraousel above her head
Japanese man crouching, plays the traditional japanese instrument the Shamisen. projects electronic line appears above his head
Adelaide Fringe 2026

GASHA

From the creators of YOAH, the Japanese circus sensation that won the Weekly BankSA Best Circus Award for two consecutive years at Adelaide Fringe, Cirquework unveils its latest work — GASHA.

GASHA is a near-future celebration that explores the possibility of the world becoming one through Japanese culture.

On a moonlit night, you are invited into an enchanting and mysterious gathering.

The name GASHA draws inspiration from Japan’s playful gashapon capsule-toy machines — full of surprise and chance — and the elegance and theatricality often associated with the word geisha. Together, they reflect the show’s spirit: beauty and precision colliding with chaos, colour and unpredictability.

In this imagined world, nationality, skin colour and language dissolve, as hearts connect through a shared encounter with Japanese culture. Tradition is not something to be preserved unchanged — it transforms, collides and gives birth to new creation.

An international cast dressed in vivid kimono command the stage with breathtaking acrobatics, aerial performance and live electric shamisen.

Precision and chaos. Sensuality and control. Beauty collapses — only to be rebuilt into something new.

Here begins a new wave of Japanese circus.

Presented by: CIRQUEWORK

Cirquework is a contemporary circus company from Japan, known for fusing tradition with innovation in bold, poetic performances. Its flagship production YOAH won the BankSA Best CIRCUS Award (Weekly) at Adelaide Fringe in both 2024 and 2025, and received the Asian Arts Award – Outstanding Female Performer at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, establishing its international reputation. Blending acrobatics, juggling, and aerial arts with immersive video, sound, and lighting, Cirquework creates striking works where Japanese aesthetics meet global artistry. The company has appeared at major festivals including Hungary’s Sziget Festival, as well as in Denmark and the Netherlands, and continues to push the boundaries of contemporary circus.
Circus • Variety
Japan • SA Premiere
 
Previous Award Winner
 
Culturally and/or linguistically diverse
Reviews
  •   3
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    Edge of Artistry, Heart of Chaos. GASHA – Circus Reimagined! - Missmandamedia

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    A high energy, visually stunning circus with a Japanese twist - Claire Davill, Play and Go

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    A picture is worth a thousand words and this piece of circus is an arresting masterpiece of spectacle. - Clara Santilli, Clara Santilli

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    The incredible global cast creates a strong and lasting connection with every viewer - The List

Suitability & warnings

Content rating: PG
Family friendly: Yes
Target audience: Middle School (12-14) | High School (15-17)
Smoke Effects
Strobe Lighting
Nudity Level: Occasional, Mild
Loud Noises

Please note

Strobe lighting and loud music

Accessibility

 
High visual content
 
Suitable for audiences who may not have a comprehensive understanding of the English language

Presenter

Presented by: CIRQUEWORK

Cirquework is a contemporary circus company from Japan, known for fusing tradition with innovation in bold, poetic performances. Its flagship production YOAH won the BankSA Best CIRCUS Award (Weekly) at Adelaide Fringe in both 2024 and 2025, and received the Asian Arts Award – Outstanding Female Performer at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, establishing its international reputation. Blending acrobatics, juggling, and aerial arts with immersive video, sound, and lighting, Cirquework creates striking works where Japanese aesthetics meet global artistry. The company has appeared at major festivals including Hungary’s Sziget Festival, as well as in Denmark and the Netherlands, and continues to push the boundaries of contemporary circus.