September 26th, 7pm to 11:45pm
at Nuit Blanche
A three-ring performance cycle that repeats every hour.
Wild Roots Theatre is proud to present
Bike and Circuses 2026
Bike and Circuses - Magic Hour offers a new twist on a signature Wild Roots event, stretching performances into the dark. The show consists of three distinct performance pieces, featuring acrobatic spin-class enthusiasts cycling through time, a fierce family confronting a harsh environmental landscape, lively talk show hosts ready to “gab”, and a sensational circus barker to direct your attention.
Located on The Forks grounds, near the foot of L'Esplanade Riel, the event will offer equal parts spectacle and environmental awareness, with performances bringing to light themes related to climate change and sustainability.
The show runs 45-minutes. Stop in for a short spin or stick around to take in the whole cycle.
About the Performances
Round One: "Spin Cycle" - a physical theatre performance conceived by Daina Leitold, Brenda McLean, and Jo Burdon. Written and Directed by Daina Leitold*. Set and Costume Design by Daina Leitold. Sound Design by Diaphanie. Performed by Jo Burdon*, Cora Matheson* and Daina Leitold*.
A comical journey mirroring society’s dependence on energy and the continuous cycles we fall into as we produce, market and sell so much stuff. The piece explores privilege in the face of the climate crisis and our obsession with self-care and pampering at the price of the environment and our overall wellbeing.
Round Two: "Let's not stay awake through dark nights" - a dance piece choreographed by Alexandra Elliott Dance. Set and Costume Design by: Brenda McLean. Makeup Design by Aileen Audette. Sound Design and Composition by Dasha Plett, Alex Elliott and Adrian Berry. Performed by Anaïs Bossé, Odéah Roy and Alex Elliott.
Inspired by an Icelandic lullaby, the dance follows a family of outlaws forced from their home who must learn to sustain themselves in a harsh climate and landscape using only the land’s resources.
Round Three: "Men Explain Things to Us… and We Like It! Climate Change Edition" - an interactive experience created and hosted by Gislina Patterson and Dasha Plett of We Quit Theatre.
A late-night talk show featuring… YOU! We Quit Theatre invites audience members into the candy-coloured world of 70’s public access television to share their hot takes on the environment, climate change, and where we go from here.
Bike & Circuses is produced by Daina Leitold, Brenda McLean and Ava Darrach-Gagnon.
(*The participation of these Artists is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance•Opera•Theatre Policy.)
Find more information about Nuit Blanche and other events in the night here.
Bike Art created by youth from The WRENCH
The Show is at:
“Located on The Forks grounds, near the foot of L'Esplanade Riel”
We are creating an open-air circus tent in the ring of trees there.
Meet Our Artists and Support Team 2026
(Click on the image for their bio)
Bike and Circuses
Land Acknowledgment
Wild Roots Theatre operates on unceded land in Treaty One Territory. This is the home of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Long Plains First Nation, Peguis First Nation, Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, Sagkeeng First Nation, Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, Swan Lake First Nation and the birthplace of the Red River Métis.
We acknowledge that the treaties were not signed in good faith by the colonial powers, nor were the agreements held on their end, which continues to harm Indigenous peoples and communities to this day.
We acknowledge that our drinking water in the City of Winnipeg is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, a community who from 1997 until just a few years ago lived under a boil water advisory, while Winnipeggers used this resource from their land with little thanks and no reciprocity. We also acknowledge that most of our hydro-electricity comes from Treaty Five Territory in northern Manitoba, where the building of hydro dams and their existence has created long-term ecological changes for plant and animal species and for the Indigenous communities who called the areas home. Tataskweyak Cree Nation is fighting to save the sturgeon impacted by Manitoba Hydro's Churchill River Diversion. They've started a petition that you can find on Wild Roots Theatre's Facebook page.
We present Bike and Circuses - Magic Hour at The Forks, located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, which has been a meeting place for over 6,000 years. We are grateful to be on this land and hope our work can help present truth and encourage reconciliation.
Funders
We are honoured to have project support for Bike and Circuses from the following:
