Flying In The Face Of Love – Acrobat Husbands Jesse And Lachlan Perform “You And I”
FEATURED: Jesse Scott and Lachlan McAulay | Instagram | Website
PHOTOGRAPHY: Katie Bennett
All relationships need trust, balance and strength – even more so when you and your husband are working acrobats in the same show! Jesse Scott and Lachlan McAulay fell in love at The Flying Fruit Fly Circus. The pair have toured both locally and internationally and are returning to where it all started with their new acrobatic show You And I – a tale that depicts their love story.
Trust, Love and Circus
For Jesse and Lachlan, home is Uki in the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales. Together, the couple met and fell in love while training as young teens. Talking about their time back then, Lachlan says, “We weren’t out but very curious about each other! We caught each other’s eye, and it was pretty much love at first sight.”
They pair honed their skills and confidence in acrobatics and eventually formed their own troupe called Casus Creatives with fellow performer Natano Fa’anana. They’ve won awards, played festivals and toured 27 countries with their expressive stories of human connection and cultural diversity. Casus Creatives even performed in France during the covid lockdown.
Returning home on the back of their success, Jesse and Lachlan wanted to create a show that encapsulated their love story. Something that demonstrates how they feel about each other and how much trust is built into their relationship as both partners and performers.
“It’s a show about our love and friendship,” says Jesse. “The true essence is the connection we have with each other and how trust is built.”
“Our physicality includes acrobatics, but we’ll hold hands for a little longer or keep a gaze for a lingering moment… a subtle undertone that people appreciate,” says Lachlan.
They got married privately with friends and family before same-sex marriage was legalised. But their second wedding happened on the stage of the Sydney Opera House after one of their shows. The pair believe in platforming queer love as trusting and joyous.
You And I shows how queer love can be intense and passionate without being harsh or tragic. “We wanted to tell a story that was simply about two people in love, and it didn’t matter if it was two men,” says Jesse. “Our love, I would say, is quite soft. The contemporary circus is a place without a script. We don’t speak but rather use our bodies to tell the story and we can’t be complex.”
“We’ve had people say they are genuinely warmed and comforted by the show,” says Lachlan. “We’ve had young teens and parents say the happy relationship shown on stage is an eye-opener to them. We’ve also had older gentlemen thank us because they’re so happy we can tell a genuine story and tell it safely.”
You And I will be showing at the Butter Factory Theatre and Gateway Island, Wodonga on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16. For more information, visit here.
