Whether it’s the whispered hush of the library or the thunderous applause of a crowd, Glenalta woman Lucy Frost is no stranger to a double act.
A librarian at Mt Barker by day and a seasoned circus performer by night, she manages to find a common thread between the two contrasting worlds.
Originally from Sheffield in the UK, Lucy was “always” drawn to performing – making up plays with her friends in the playground during her primary school days.
In high school, she took every opportunity to perform with both hands.
Whether it was music, choir, dance or gymnastics, Lucy sought to broaden her repertoire and dabble in all that the arts had to offer, becoming comfortable on stage in the process.
I had a bit of a sideways career in the performing arts
Eventually, she found a role that allowed her to use multiple disciplines.
“I had a bit of a sideways career in the performing arts,” she says.
“I ended up doing theatre performance design at university, which was great because it was a mixture of lots of practical building – backdrops, painting, props, things like that – but also studying drama, studying text.
“It was quite an all-round course that looked across the process.”
While studying, Lucy and her classmates were taught a module by a circus company that formed part of the UK’s outdoor arts network.
After speaking with one of the people delivering the module, Lucy was set on learning more about that type of performance and career path.
“I remember I had a conversation with him and said, ‘I really like this, more than anything on my course, this is really me’,” she says.
“He gave me a job, which was fantastic.
“In the summers, I started touring with him – first I started touring as a technician and building props and things, then he cast me in a show and he found out I used to do gymnastics at school and taught me some acrobatics.”
Lucy then met her former acrobatic partner and the pair created and performed shows for audiences across the UK and other parts of the world.
As her skills grew, so did her standing in the industry.
She had a genuinely international career, with performances in Berlin, New York, Tokyo, Glastonbury and the Adelaide Fringe.
After 10 years of performing in the UK, Lucy got the chance to come to Australia through a research grant – embarking on a four-month tour to different parts of the country to learn about what Australia’s circus scene had to offer.
“Australian circus has got this amazing international reputation of being awesome – really highly regarded,” she says.
“All these Australian companies were just absolutely going off, I needed to come and find out what was in the water.
“I loved it because it gave me an excuse to meet everybody, interview people.
“I wrote a blog alongside it and then when I went back to the UK I did some presentations at industry conferences all about the Australian sector, which was really cool.”
Serendipitously, during that tour, Lucy met a certain strongman – Gordo Gamsby – with a knack for swallowing swords and a staggering 13 Guinness World Records to his name.
This would become the ultimate double act, as she and Gordo married in 2016 – 10 months after first meeting.
“We didn’t get together immediately, but we just kept showing up in the same places and it kind of went from there,” Lucy says.
“We’ve come to the Adelaide Fringe every year since that first year that I came, so that’s 10 years this year.
“We’d had our beautiful children and I liked being regional after coming from a big city.
“But we really wanted something that feels beautiful, that has that connection to nature that we really value now.
“The Hills are just a perfect choice – we’re 20 minutes from the city and we’re also right next to Belair National Park and my son’s at the bush school in Upper Sturt, which is just beautiful.”
After settling in the Hills last year, Lucy found work as a library officer at the Mt Barker Community Library.
Although seemingly at odds with her life as a performer, Lucy says her circus experience is a natural fit for this new professional adventure.
I think sometimes it’s a little bit like Clark Kent and Superman
Central to both roles is the art of storytelling, creativity and bringing people together.
“I think sometimes it’s a little bit like Clark Kent and Superman – I’ve got the specs and the suit on, and then I’ve obviously got my fantastic circus outfit at home,” Lucy says.
“My performing experience lends itself well to where I’ve landed in libraries, which is in the programs area.
“I do some of the toddler time and story time, I bring some of my instruments to that, which is really nice to add extra layers.
“But there is a common thread about connection, creating community and sharing an experience with someone.”
Lucy is also working on an upcoming show at the Adelaide Fringe, calling upon her experience as a mother with young children.
“It’s a new theatre show for babies, it’s called Lucy and the Lost Colours, and the idea is I’m an artist, I’ve woken up and all the colour from my world is gone,” she says.
“Through the show, we rediscover each colour in turn through songs, play and interactive, multi-sensory activities.”
“I’m hoping to bring that out in 2027.”
