Cirque Mechanics to Bring BIRDHOUSE FACTORY to Popejoy Hall

Mixing muscles with machines, gears with gyrations, Cirque Mechanics will bring circus arts to industry with their show Birdhouse Factory, coming to Popejoy Hall Friday, November 12 at 7:30pm. Set in a 1930's widget factory, their show explores the work and workers within it. The artists of Cirque Mechanics find marvels in the mechanical age, which informs the aesthetic of the company. In this show, they offer a glimpse into traditional labor even as the workers find themselves performing circus acts to complete their tasks.

German wheel artist Chris Lashua founded Cirque Mechanics in 2004 while collaborating with the Circus Center of San Francisco. Beginning his journey in the modern circus world, he brought his love for all things mechanical and his sense of wonder for American ingenuity to his work in the circus arts. Lashua made it his mission to turn his passions into a premiere American cirque troupe.

For Birdhouse Factory, Lashua drew inspiration from the works of Mexican-folk muralist Diego Rivera, outrageous contraption illustrator Rube Goldeberg, and Charlie Chaplin's classic movie Modern Times. Exploring the aftermath of a bird flying into a factory, the workers discover their inner clowns through acrobatics, contortion, juggling, mime, and other circus acts, wrapped in a wondrous, nostalgic, and funny production.

Birdhouse Factory allows the factory workers to break free from their daily lives and embrace the exploration of finding themselves in the milieu of Lashua's very inventive factory. Cirque Mechanics: Birdhouse Factory excites audiences with hijinks and fanciful circus acts. Take a break from the daily grind and experience the joy shared through the captivating, gravity-defying tricks of Cirque Mechanics.

Tickets for Cirque Mechanics: Birdhouse Factory are on sale for $65, $49, $39, and $25. Tickets may be purchased online at popejoypresents.com. Tickets are also available to purchase in person at the UNM Ticket Offices located at the UNM Bookstore or by calling (505) 277-4569. For more information on the 2021-2022 Popejoy Presents season, visit popejoypresents.com.

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