OBLIVIOUS
In Oblivious, House of Circus fuses drag and circus into a bizarre performance in which familiar ideas about what is considered normal and what falls outside it, slowly begin to shift.
Who are you? Which part of you is ‘real’? When are you playing a role?
Nick, Lily and Germain, inhabit a deconstructed world where nothing is set and the possibilities seem endless. Characters, costumes appear and disappear, leaving their own colourful mark. Yet even the greatest freedom begins to organise itself. An agreement between a few can become rules for many, hardening into an order that is not to be questioned. The colours and curiosity slowly fade.
In this setting, House of Circus constantly plays with the audience's gaze. Unusual aerials, acrobatic action, and distorted drag pushes the tension between fiction and physical reality. Can you still be yourself in a world constructed around norms? Oblivious suggests some performances continue long after we leave the stage.
Are you aware, or are you oblivious?
House of Circus is a circus company and drag house founded by Nick Van der Heyden and Germain Charlat. In 2021 they started their multidisciplinary research merging circus and drag into a distinctive artistic language. Their performances captivate through humour, visual richness and physical skills. Driven to prove that drag is more than glitter and a wig, they create accessible performances in which humour, urgency and spectacle proudly coexist. The belief that everyone should have the freedom to express themselves is reflected in their motto:
“Be who you want to be, wear what you want to wear and love who you want to love.”
Nick and Germain graduated from the Fontys Academy of Circus and Performance Art, specialising in hand balancing and trapeze respectively. Under the name House of Circus, they previously created Spotlight, Beach!, Goes Delusional, Fitness and Carnivale Royale.As pioneers in fusing drag, theater and contemporary circus, they have developed a distinctive artistic signature, leading to an increasing international recognition. In 2026, Carnivale Royale played a summer season to sold-out audiences at the renowned Chamäleon Theatre in Berlin as well as The Magic Mirror at Sziget Festival. House of Circus is a Maker at TENT, where they are developing Oblivious through the Dutch New Makers Trajectory of the Performing Arts Fund NL.
For this performance, House of Circus is collaborating with Lily Nolan, a circus artist specialising in handbalancing and a recent graduate of Codarts Circus Arts in Rotterdam. Together, the three performers bring a sparkling mix of circus disciplines and drag. They seduce and provoke, constantly moving between play and conflict while toying with the audience’s perceptions and expectations.
CREDITS CONCEPT & CREATION Nick van der Heyden, Germain Charlat PERFORMANCE Nick van der Heyden, Germain Charlat, Lily Nolan DRAMATURGY Loulou Sjerps OUTSIDE EYE Dionne Verwey MUSIC Andreas Tegnander TECHNIQUE Cahit Metin PRODUCTION Isabel Van Hauwe PRODUCER TENT COPRODUCER De Landing, Schouwburg Amstelveen PARTNER CC Amstel RESIDENCIES Likeminds NL, CC AMSTEL NL, Korzo NL, CC AMSTEL NL, MAAS NL, De Grote Post BE, Latitude 50 BE, Cirkl BE, CircArtive DE, La Central del Circ ESP SUPPORTED BY Amsterdams Fund fort he Art, Performing Arts Fund NL, Vfonds, Cultuurfonds, Fonds 5
“With some exaggerated clashes and theatrical showmanship, the duo turns it into a full-fledged queer show. With a pointedly chaotic ending, initiated by Van der Heyden, who surprised everyone with a sample of loud opera singing.” NRC
“Their two characters are constantly at odds with each other, utilising the specialities of their creators: Van der Heyden as a handstand acrobat and Charlat as a trapeze artist, which allows the makers to perform breathtaking acrobatic tricks alongside all the verbal banter.” Theaterkrant
“Drag acts exaggerate aspects of femininity, making us think about what femininity is or can be, and when combined with acrobatics, the result is completely surprising. You can leave it to them to push the boundaries.” Parool
OUR MAKER
HOUSE OF CIRCUS