Unlike most of us who read it as kids in school, director Felicity Hesed read The Secret Garden for the first time during the pandemic, and instantly started seeing connections. In her new circus theater adaptation, Mary Lennox’s parents, who died of cholera in the book, are victims of Covid-19. There aren’t many other explicit Covid references, but the themes in the story of renewal, grief, growth and the healing power of beauty and nature feel timely.

A circus adaptation of The Secret Garden may sound like an odd idea, but this production cleverly encourages us to view the characters as metaphors for our own post-pandemic condition. Mary Lennox (Solena Solomon), who impressively contorts herself on the floor at the beginning of the show as she stares into her iPad screen, is literally lifted into the air as she gains a deeper understanding of the natural world outside. Colin Craven (Mia Fan), the boy whose inability to walk turns out to be the result of isolation and neglect, reflects the familiar fatigue of being cloistered at home as he rises from his wheelchair to climb a rope. The robin who leads Mary to the garden, in this version played both by an adorable puppet and a beautiful aerialist (Adrienne Fair/ Kristine Cannon), reminds us of the healing power of nature and art in dark times.

The places where the show excels are the moments in which the story is illustrated or accompanied by acrobatics and aerial work. This is generally the goal of circus theater, a hybrid art form that has become increasingly popular over the years: much like the songs in a musical, the acrobatic elements either help push the story along, or allow characters to show us things that cannot be expressed through dialogue alone.

In this case, the brilliant acrobatic design by Evan Tomlinson Weintraub, a Circus Center alum who went on to great success (most recently acting as Assistant to the Director for Dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi), continually makes the story come to life in unexpected ways. The moments that stick out most in my memory are when the bodies on stage became the environment for the characters, the feats of flexibility and strength enhancing our understanding of their psychological condition. I do wish the show had focused more on this element and less on dialogue, but that delicate balance is always the challenge of mixing two distinct art forms in one show.

The show is performed by a mixture of San Francisco Youth Circus kids and adult students and teachers at Circus Center, and the kids more than keep up with their adult counterparts. The most important thing to remember while viewing The Secret Garden is this: you are watching the next generation of Bay Area circus performers grow into their abilities in front of your eyes, and it’s fascinating to watch them bloom.

The Secret Garden plays June 10-19, 2022 (Friday 7:30pm, Saturday 2pm & 7:30pm, Sunday 2pm) at San Francisco Circus Center, 755 Frederick St. San Francisco, CA 94117. $15-$25, 4-person VIP tables for $180.

Tickets can be purchased here.