Chapter 189: With Casus Circus' Shannon Vitali and Jon Bonaventura

Australian company Casus Circus is over in the UK at the moment with their show Driftwood. I have been dying to see the show ever since hearing all the buzz from the Edinburgh Fringe last year, and last Wednesday went along to interview Shannon Vitali and Jon Bonaventura ahead of watching the evening performance at Underbelly. Walking along the Southbank, circus music floated through the air, notes from Barnum coming from the merry-go-round, the siren call of "Come follow the band". Quite. 

The first billboard I registered was even more alluring. Briefs. The infamous Australian all-male circus cabaret. I learned later that one of the poster boys is the brother of one of the founders of Casus. I threaded my way down the wooden walkways that have the familiar Coney Island carney vibe, which set me off daydreaming - Look! There's the other Wizards of Oz, Head First Acrobats, over with zombie bromance Elixir (a must see!), and kids show Arr We There Yet; another Australian, the fab Jess Love from La Soiree, with her one-woman show I saw at Jacksons Lane last year; Natalie Alison is back with family show Jungle Book;  Alula Cyr, well I'm seeing their show Hyena next week; comedian Mark Dolan, who interviewed Polefit London's Anna Milosevic on the radio a while back and... I'm stalling. I don't really want to hit the Spiegeltent. I mean, I do want to meet Shannon and Jon, but I'm a bit nervous. I have little experience doing interviews and the last thing I want to do is waste the time of performers on a blistering hot day when they could be chilling. 

I arrived to find Shannon and Jon, open faces, big smiles, very cute sitting in a wooden dodgem in front of the Spiegeltent. I clambered in to join them, momentarily distracted by another member of the company wandering close by, casually whipping off his top and stretching out in the sunshine. And to think I had passed off this afternoon as "work" to justify my husband picking the kids up from school...

Both Shannon and Jon are flyers, both in terms of being aerialists flying around and having the slender frame required for being the "flyer" on top in acrobatic tricks. 

Shannon trained in dance, all styles, and then moved on to NICA (National Institute of Circus Arts) in Melbourne, and has worked all over the world, on cruise ships, with Circa, and met Casus through the open call for auditions. In the bio I read she was billed as the aerial hoop (also known as a lyra) artist in the show, but in reality, Shannon, and all the cast, are multi-faceted and turn their hand to pretty much anything. That in part is the product of the Australian philosophy about circus training that encourages students to be excellent all-rounders rather than focussing at an earlier stage on one specific discipline, rather like the circus equivalent of the broader International Baccalaureate as opposed to the UK's A-level system. At NICA Shannon specialised in contortion, adagio (partner work), aerial acrobatics and risley. That's foot-juggling right? I asked, picturing Shannon flat on her back in a spangled leotard, twirling umbrellas with her toes. They fell about laughing. Er, not quite Lucy. It turns out that risley is human foot juggling, as in Shannon is the object being juggled by the feet. OK. Wow! 

Jon is a gymnast who developed a taste for the performing arts at 12 when he was spotted doing back flips in a friend's backyard and brought in as the stunt double in Warner Bros "Where the Wild Things Are", carrying on with his stunt training until old enough to join NICA as well, a couple of years below Shannon. There he gravitated towards aerial rope, primarily because he is small and strong and no-one else wanted to (rope burns, circus hurts), and joined the Circa family after graduation. He happened to see the Casus show one day, and in a case of being in the right place and the right time (again!), was invited on board for Driftwood.

I was surprised to hear there were only three other performers in the cast. Given how much I had heard about Driftwood, I had somehow imagined a larger cast and I was excited to hear that it would be a much more intimate affair. The family also comprises Sarah McDougall, both base, hula-hoopist and a regular clown (including workshops, for instance, with Ira Seidenstein see post - click here), the same year at NICA as Shannon; David Trappes, who I thought had something of Canadian Eric Bates (see post - click here) about him, which was funny as it turned out he is a juggler (though not in the show - he bases) and has spent time training over in École de Cirque in Quebec; and Johnny Brown, the youngest member, straight from dance school in his first ever circus show, quite extraordinary. The London crew are living together in a couple of flats in Shoreditch. Girls in one flat, boys in another? More laughter. No, it turns out they are split circus-style between bases and flyers. Of course! 

We talked about the show. Funnily enough, coming direct from the National Circus in Old Street earlier that day (down the road from where they are staying) I had seen a banner  "we are only individuals in the context of each other" and that reminded me of the flotsam and jetsam of human connections at the heart of the Driftwood philosophy. The dynamic between the performers grows organically - the choreography is not improvised per se, but there may be little quirks or energy that bounces off the audience, as much as the artists themselves, that ensures that each performance is unique. I wondered about the weather as well. So hot and sweaty on a day like today, does that make performing trickier? Then Jon and Shannon gently reminded that they do hail from Australia... Doh! More laughter. 

What do you love about doing the show, I wondered? Both Shannon and Jon love the fact that they have the opportunity to use a variety of skills, and learn new ones, like the hula-hooping or Jon's balancing on the head perch. But above all they relish the opportunity to be genuinely themselves and convey authentic moments of connection that draw the audience in. No two nights are ever the same. Some may be more intense, others up the ante in physical comedy. It just depends. 

There are actually two Driftwood casts on tour at the moment and that also influences the show's dynamics. A dance duet in one is a Bungle, reflecting Johnny's indigenous Australian heritage, while in the other it's a Siva, the Western Samoan name for dance. 

It is extraordinary when you see the show and observe the chemistry at play to think this cast have been together for only a couple of months. They were trained up in several locations in Australia by the Originals, as I like to call them (too many vampire box sets!), three friends Jesse Scott, Lachlan Mcaulay and Natano Faanana, who branched out from Circa. What would happen if both casts were to team up? I wondered. Well, actually, it turns out they are all getting together to explore ideas in Cardiff this summer at NoFit State, and let's see where they take us next...

Driftwood is on at the moment, part of the Underbelly Festival, until 4 June. 

Click here for tickets and more information: www.underbellyfestival.com

Chapter 188: Hikapee Theatre's HOME at the Wandsworth Arts Fringe

When does a house become a home? That was the question that not-for-profit circus theatre company Hikapee were exploring this weekend as part of the mini two day festival called  Hidden Heathbrook in Heathbrook Park, part of the wider two week Wandsworth Arts Fringe. The Fringe shines the spotlight on my neck of the woods but it had pretty much passed me by this year as, somewhat ironically, all my energy over the past fortnight has been going into readying our own house to go on the market this week. 

The kids were super excited to see  Hikapee Theatre's Bryony Livesey and Edd Casey again after last seeing them at Jacksons Lane for Moonfall (see post - click here), and because Bryony has taught my 8 year old aerial skills at Flying Fantastic. 

Heathbrook Park is a hidden gem. We had never been there before, despite only being 15 minutes down the road. Festival banners and bunting was out, the sun was shining and there was a glorious festival vibe. 

Pete from Pif-Paf Theatre in SEED

We arrived in time to catch some of Sheffield-based PifPaf Theatre's SEED, which was a lovely surprise. The tale of one man's fight to protect the trees, it is set in a ramshackle potting shed that is a wonder of creative imagineering, has live music and the most amazing puppets, and I cannot wait to see it in full at the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival when they return at the end of June. 

Talking of feats of engineering, we found Edel and Chris Wigan from Flying Fantastic with their girls in the family creation space making a flamingo out of cardboard boxes and sticky tape, and joined in to help with the Flying Fantastic Flaming Flamingo. So much fun. Mission accomplished we took our seats on the grass in front of a scaffolding skeleton of a house.  It was one of those sunshiney lazy days, and as I reclined on the grass, my five year old nestled on top of me, a guy with a continental accent next to me offered me the use of his backpack as a pillow, which I gratefully accepted. He reminded me of  the protagonist in Soho The Show (see previous post - click here) which was funny as along with Bryony, Edd and Rachel Entwistle, the cast of HOME included Rebecca Rennison, who starred in Soho, the run ending only the night before. 

HOME weaved acrobatics and aerial around the frame of  a house, set to an absolutely cracking soundtrack that gratifyingly tied in thematically. It was great fun, high energy, interactive and the physical comedy entertained as much as the stellar aerial skills, keeping the audience totally engaged from start to finish - no mean feat when outdoors with plenty of young children in the crowd!

The performance kicked of with The Drifters "Up on the roof", which reminded me of the book at bedtime I am reading with the kids, Katherine Rundell's "The Rooftoppers" where the girl finds an escape route on the rooftops of Paris with the help of a boy who walks a tightwire. Circus everywhere. Here though, up on the roof were a couple of Right Said Fred builders (Edd and Rachel) clambering all over the structure and taking time out to juggle a cuppa. An estate agent (Rebecca) turned up with a family moving in, Bryony in pigtails as the young girl which she channels so well (again, see Moonfall!), and the shenanigans began. There were great routines on Chinese pole, part of the side structure of the house, including a cheeky nod to the shirtless workman, and a rope rigged from the centre of the roof, along with all the parallel bars and a scaffolding plank that enabled all sorts of innovative aerial moves, including thrilling duo acrobatics that drew gasps from the crowd. My favourite part was watching all four performers suspended with bicycling legs set to a Paolo Nutini track - madcap, upbeat and funny. Gradually through team-work the walls went up, and the house was furnished with a working lampshade, a television set, and all the trimmings. Now it was home. 

HOME: "It's a place where people live"

HOME: "Best thing I have ever seen."

HOME was developed in conjunction with the homeless charity St Mungo's, taking in stories from the volunteers, who often have been or are homeless themselves, which informs the ethos of the piece. This became apparent after the performance as the house became an installation, the cast serving up homemade lemonade and biscuits to the children and encouraging them to reflect on what "home" means to them and write it up on the walls. Ah the kids loved that (as did the adults as well!) - the freedom to graffiti all over the place, how cool was that?! My 8 year old wanted to know what the prime minister was doing about homelessness (only ten more years til she gets the vote!), while her younger sister (aged 5) declared to Bryony that the best bit was "when the guy took his top off... that was really funny!" Don't know where she gets it from... As for me, the show, and its timing in our life right now, reinforced the fact that home is where my family is, wherever that may be.

As for the flamingo, well, we found him some temporary accommodation... 

Chapter 187: Soho The Show at The Peacock, Sadlers Wells

All photo credits: www.stufish.com

Did you know a clownfish hatches as male, but gradually turns female depending on the environment? I learned that fact from my daughter yesterday, who was researching endangered species for her homework. I thought of Soho...

Soho The Show is currently on at The Peacock, Sadlers Wells until 20 May, and is a whistle-stop tour through a day in the life of the area, through the eyes of a Soho virgin, a continental backpacker (Alessio Motta), as he seeks to find his bearings. We pass through Soho Square itself and Chinatown, and legendary haunts like Madame Jojo's and The Colony Rooms, and are immersed in a world of Soho tropes and tarts including an underwear mannequin in a shop window, a Hare Krishna monk, a Big Issue seller, a punk rocker, a boudoir model and photographer, burlesque dancers and a glittering clownfish of a drag queen in her element. There isn't a narrative as such, rather a series of tableaux vivants that are threaded together by a sense of gradual progression from diurnal to nocturnal activities, from coffee to cocktales.

The show is the brainchild of director Abigail Yeates, who conceived the piece about seven or eight years ago and then last year worked with second year students at the National Centre for Circus Arts over two periods of Research and Development. Auditions were held the following January and the cast now comprises a dozen performers drawn from all over the world, including two artists from the original show, Danny Ash (from circus cabaret Ssshhh! - click here) and Charlee Rico De Bolla. I was also looking forward to seeing Rebecca Rennison (leading lady in Chivaree Circus' Becoming Shades - click here), and the choreography of Eleni Edipidi, co-artistic director for Levantes Dance Theatre, in London recently at Jacksons Lane and The Albany with "The Band".

The creation was a collaboration with Stufish, a team of entertainment architects - what a great job title!  If you have been to the Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A recently you will have come across their work as they are behind the design, and have been instrumental in staging Pink Floyd concerts over the years, as well as working with a number of other legends (Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Madonna, Elton John...) As you can imagine then, the graphics on set were superb. It's not often that I have seen a circus show with such a budget for the set design, and, while not eclipsing the artists, it was a performance in its own right. I am sure that Stufish' history in the music industry was brought to bear on the cracking musical score ranging from the Sex Pistols to David Bowie. 

But it wasn't all rock and roll. As the crowds spilled out of the tube and the day began, I particularly enjoyed Paolo Conte's gravelled tones ("Via con me" - It's wonderful...) framing the slick hand-to-hand acrobatics and comedy of the Bar Italia waiters Loric Fouchereau and Peter Freeman. Daft Punk thudded in a gym full of ripped guys and rippling muscles pumping irons and testostorone (deadlifting Danny Ash was a stroke of genius) and spurting... water bottles! Meanwhile Charlee Rico DeBolla's boxing turn had real punch, think Jason Statham on straps. In my gym this morning Starship blared out (Nothing's gonna stop us now...), reminding me of Mélanie Dupuis' striking turn as the aforementioned mannequin in the shop window during a Soho scene setter, and I loved Danny Ash's Mad Hatter of a tailor cutting a dapper figure in a purple top hat and matching suit with chequered trousers, in a world that got progressively curiouser and curiouser. 

Using "Mellow Yellow" to register the psychedelic saffron trappings of universal love made me smile, and even if I thought a tourist-bashing punk was more the province of Camden than Soho, albeit an agent provocateur, Rebecca Rennison nailed it. A pointed observation about the increasing gentrification of the area (Ch...Ch...Ch...Changes) ended the first act, but I was still reeling from the sinuous romance of the double trapeze act from Mélanie Dupuis and Xander Taylor. It was a real showstopper. 

The second half opened in the circus of Chinatown, complete with Chinese pole, obviously. Chinese pole is Alessio Motta's core discipline, and it was great to see him in action on it and the body popping he brought into play. There was also a beautiful interlude of Alessio's contact juggling; he had an air of Marcel Marceau with all the magic of Bowie in Labyrinth. Martial arts were drawn into the definition of Chinatown, and were deftly executed by Anton Simpson-Tidy, whose precision of movement was impressive. From there we moved onto the spa rituals involved in prepping for a night on the town, and Camille Tremblay's stellar contortion and hand balancing on the rim of a bath-tub (a bar of soap was the top of a handstand cane, so clever!), was a class act that got us all in a lather. Next stop was Madame Jojo's, rather poignant as at the time this show was conceived it would still have been going strong. It was a joy to see Rebecca Rennison's burlesque turn on dance trapeze, powerfully strong with the supple lines of a ballerina. I thought diva hip-hop dancer Kayla Lomas-Kirton in a Motown glory of technicoloured sequins was terrific, and Danny Ash was the cherry on top. Danny strutted in wearing a high-cut teal, spangled leotard, feathers  - plucked from The Peacock?! - ruffled by long blonde locks, lip synching with full sass, and letting rip on silks in staggering silver heels. Wow! Meanwhile Leah Wolff on aerial hoop threw a neat spin on the male gaze by encircling the guys, there to salivate over her, in a stunning routine of dizzying proportions, but with a giant eye in the background, who was watching whom? Moving onto The Colony Rooms captured the louche glamour of yesteryear while watching Xander Taylor return to trapeze and strip down to his briefs I found myself blushing in the dark. 

That the show should end on the conceit that Soho is a state of mind made me laugh, as I've been saying that about circus for years. It explains why the two make such natural bedfellows, as both Soho and circus communities have, historically, operated on the margins of society, welcoming in those on the fringes, whether in terms of nationality, sexuality or simply just because. It was lovely to see a show that celebrated that spirit with Pride. 

Chapter 186: An Aerial Intensive Week with Freedom2FlyDA

"I don't get it Mum. Why are you doing this course if you're not going to become a professional?" My son's remark was closer to the bone than he realised as the aerial intensive programme I signed up for at Freedom2FlyDA is actually designed for professional dancers and performers (DA=Dancing Airborne). My answer was simple: "Because I love it." And if there is any lesson I wish my kids to take with them in life it is to stay curious, explore, and give the world all you've got. 

The other reason is that turning 40 I hear the tick-tock of my body clock. Doing aerial opens out my upper body, corrects my round shoulders and poor posture, potential harbingers of osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis with my family history, and lifts my mood no end. Any form of exercise that gets the endorphins pumping is great, but gyms for me were (or used to be - see previous post!) intimidating, while circus skills classes have a more eclectic, community vibe. And as well as making my body stronger, it inspires me to flex my writing muscles too. The Freedom2Fly course was based at the warehouse space of The Hive in Hackney Wick. I have been going to classes there on and off for the past year and always look forward to my walks along the canal, energised by the colour, creativity and life of the graffiti & fly posters all around. I read messages everywhere. 

There is a children's book I'm reading to mine at the moment - Katherine Rundell's "Rooftoppers", that makes me think of that. It is the story of a young girl who befriends a tightrope walker in Paris and traverses the skyline in the hunt for her mother. In the opening chapters, the visionary "captain my captain" guardian and his ward write notes to each other all over the wallpaper at home because, as he explains, "the more words in a house the better".  I agree. Fill the world with words. Round the corner from The Hive is one of my favourite haunts, Stour Space, a cultural hub with a wonderful café that has a floating pontoon on the water. Excited then to realise that the course hours fit snugly into the school day and I could be there every day for a whole week, the luxury!, I hadn't quite registered when signing up that that Day 1 landed on Bank Holiday Monday. Oops. I broke the news to my husband when kitted out for a night at the Moulin Rouge*. Timing is everything.  

Back to reality with a bump on the first day when registering that I was the only one there unable to do the splits, which put paid to any fantasies of an alternative life as a CanCan dancer. Can't Can't though, is not an option at Freedom2Fly. Soon we were airborne, and any frustration or anxiety I felt with my own limitations were forgotten as following the instructions took all my concentration. Our teachers Jair Ramirez (see post on Sugarman - click here)  and dancer and aerialist Josie-Beth Davies, both have a wealth of experience, incredible patience and a great sense of humour. On the first day too we had the company, for a short time, of Jair's wife Jessica Ramirez, dancer, aerialist and source of inspiration, along with their little aerial ninja Gabriel, who would have scaled every piece of equipment there given half a chance. Jess's presence was felt very much for the rest of the week, especially in the increasingly innovative plank formations that she choreographed! 

We were split into two groups according to experience, and classes alternated between teachers Jair and Josie, but as any aerial novices in my group were dancers, progress was rapid. It's not many beginners courses where you will find the first day ends up with inversions on straps. I got such a head-rush from laughing upside down that afterwards I floated right up to Walthamstow Central by accident and it took me two hours to get home. Shattered when I got back, I worried I wouldn't have the strength to keep going for the whole week. Xav restored my spirits with a mug of builders' tea and the sound advice: "Lucy, just take it one day at a time." 

The next morning: "Josie, what's happened to the hoops?" I asked. "Have you rigged them differently or something because I can't seem to pull myself up on any of them..."

"Er Lucy, they are just the same as yesterday. Welcome to Day 2 of the course!" 
I was certainly feeling it! Hoop is my nemesis. It has moves similar to a static trapeze, but rigged on one point not two, so it can spin, and with a wider reach for the arms, it feels that bit more unstable. It speaks volumes for Josie's teaching that by the end of the week I had a routine going on it. In fact, it's astonishing how quickly my feelings about hoop changed, as I experienced first-hand the fine line (fear!) between anger and love. As in: "I f***ing hate hoop! Oh, wait! That's not so bad. I can actually do that... Oh... I f***ing looooove hoop!" 

The rest of the week sped by in a flash as we worked on aerial hoop, silks, rope, dance trapeze, static trapeze, Spanish Web, handstands and flexibility. I had never been on Spanish Web before. I had no clue what it was. It involved scaling a rope, looping a wrist into the strap at the top, holding the rope with the other hand and being spun round. Like making pancakes, the first attempt was messy, the second was more evenly spread, and then by the third you're ready to flip... when the kids saw a video of it that night they nicknamed me SpiderMum. iOlé! 

The joy of Spanish Web in part was overcoming the sheer terror that I wouldn't have enough strength to hold on at the top, and in part the giddy feeling that is all the fun of the fair. Learning a doubles routine on spinning hoop was another first. Paired up with Anna, who is so, so graceful and experienced,  I felt uber-conscious the whole time that I was holding her back, yet thanks to her support was able to let go into knee hangs and I loved the dynamics at play in our symmetry.  I thought of Collective XY's philosophy (click here) - she may have been going slower for me, but together we did go further. 

The week left me with a clear idea of what was going in the right direction (building up my strength) and what needs more work (flexibility!). It was a week that turned my life around thanks to our fantastic teachers, Josie & Jair, and Jess, a huge support on-line, and to the camaraderie of my awesome classmates Anna, Rachel, Hannah, Cerys and Emme, and the flyers in the other group Jane, Eleanor and Sophia & co. Thank you all, it was such a privilege and I hope I get the opportunity to train with you again. A case of: ¡qué será!  and ¡Ojalá! 

So when Jair brought out a selection of silks that he got in Colombia I found myself buying a pair, teal in colour, imagining sea-green waves cascading down. The squeals of excitement from my 8 year old daughter, a regular at Flying Fantastic classes, the moment I got home, said it all. We set them up on the monkey bars and were hovering on there within seconds. The rigging isn't quite high enough to fly, or for anything other than a few conditioning moves (still, that's something!), but having the silks is a tangible reminder that when life isn't plain sailing, keep the dream going, and hold on tight.

Freedom2Fly are currently running a plank challenge for the month of May and have a number of courses coming up over summer, the next being another week long course at the end of May. Check out their website www.freedom2flyda.com (click here) and contact at dancingairborne@gmail.com.

For inspiration and motivation check out the following Instagram accounts:

@freedom2flyda; Jair @jairramirez.uk; Josie @jobeejones

On the course: @miss_scaramouche; @emmehayward; @benjihanna91; @rachap314

@ellebelle_aerial; @janeedwardspage; @sassy_chai

*Secret Cinema's Moulin Rouge is running until 11 June: www.secretcinema.org/love