The Circus Space, Four New Works

Review in Issue 13-2 | Summer 2001

An evening of new circus works commissioned and funded by the Circus Space began with El Farid, a five-minute video by Genevieve Monastesse. Unfortunately a technical hitch hampered the quality of the film. Nevertheless a great trapeze solo with lovely red and gold costume was badly lit and boringly filmed. Why not perform it live? If a film is going to be commissioned, make it interesting and not just a promo-video.

The next piece was live – Lindsay Butcher and Sophie Griffiths presented Re-inventing the Wheel. The two of them jumped and played with a metal structure that rocked and then was transfigured into a complex German wheel, which is like a hamster wheel. There was control, balance and symmetry. There were some beautiful moments in the silence, hearing the whisper now and the creaking of the structure. But it lacked emotion and fun, and felt sterile.

Next were the Itchy Boys, Will Cleary and lan Marchant. As two businessmen/spies they performed with clowning, object manipulation and mime. Getting dressed for work was a good sequence, especially play with the ties. And as masters of disguise the spies took the audience to the desert, complete with oven-glove cacti, and then to Vienna. It reminded me of 'Spy Versus Spy' from Mad Magazine. There were some excellent moments, which can be built upon.

Lastly, Lifeline was performed by Matilda Leyser. She used a corde lisse rope to tell the story of a life of a woman. From the foetus in a womb, through babyhood, childhood and teenage years. These sequences were lively, enchanting and full of recognisable images of life. Unfortunately adulthood and old age were not so defined and were at points too drawn out. This piece, for me, was the most developed and with a little tweaking could become excellent.

Artforms
Presenting Festival
Presenting Venue
Date Seen
  1. Apr 2001

This article in the magazine

Issue 13-2
p. 27