‘Finally, my friends will believe I’m doing circus’: Brisbane acrobat back with Cirque du Soleil

Years after running away to join the circus, Brisbane’s Harley McLeish is returning home as a star in Cirque du Soleil’s latest show.

McLeish began his circus journey at the shy age of 10, as “the circus kid that could juggle and do handstands at school”.

Australian performers (front row, from left) Nick Hutchinson, Nathan Boyle, Harley McLeish and Will Meager at work.Credit: Hollie Adams

But performing in Cirque du Soleil, one of the most famous circuses on Earth?

“I don’t even think I let myself dare to dream that big at the time.”

Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal features trapeze, hand-to-hand, aerial straps, hand-to-trapeze and juggling – all performed on ice.

McLeish recalled a conversation with his mother before he had auditioned.

Harley McLeish performs dual roles for Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal.Credit: Hollie Adams

“Mum said, ‘That’s always what you wanted, you just never let yourself think big’.

“That’s when I started aiming for the stars and giving my best shot to everything I did and it’s been surreal,” he said.

Born and raised in Brisbane, McLeish first joined Flipside Circus with a class a week at the local Meals on Wheels hall learning to juggle before performing at school fetes, Brisbane Powerhouse and festivals in South Bank.

McLeish: “”Finally, my friends will believe I’m actually doing circus.”

Two months after graduating from St Lawrence’s College, he ventured off to China with two more circus friends to continue their careers.

He trained at Ecole Nationale de Cirque in Montreal and has performed with companies including Cirque du Soleil and Les 7 Doigts de la Main, as well as in opening performances for musical acts Florence and the Machine and Enrique Iglesias.

Back in Brisbane for the first time since he was 17, McLeish said he was ecstatic to perform in his home town.

“Finally, my friends will believe I’m actually doing circus,” he laughed.

“I’ve only ever done one other show in Australia since I left and that was for the Pippin musical in Sydney during COVID-19 so my family couldn’t see me perform, either.

“It’s going to be great performing for them all.”

McLeish practising with other acrobats for Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal show.

McLeish plays many characters in Crystal, from a businessman to a shadow character swirling in chaos or hanging from a trapeze.

One new challenge is wearing specially made shoes for the ice.

“We can run on the ice. The ice skaters have their skates while we have crampons on our feet and special gloves to catch flyers,” he said.

Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal features death-defying trapeze as well as acrobatics on ice.

“I’ve never done this. It’s been a big learning curve for everyone involved, creating new techniques and months of experimenting on the ice and catching a flyer’s crampons on special gloves.”

Speaking more about the show, McLeish said the story of Crystal was for the entire family.

“It’s a beautiful story of a girl who falls in the ice and begins a journey of discovery and understanding the importance of believing in yourself,” he said.

“You’ve got ice skaters around and acrobats doing death defying tricks, people on the roof and a number of aerial numbers. It touches on everything.”

When asked about his favourite act he performs, McLeish said the hand-to-trapeze was a beautiful number with an ending that would leave “everyone with a wow moment”.

Cirque du Soleil: Crystal, July 21-30, Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Visit the the website to book tickets.