Christmas Comes Early: NoFit State Circus Presents BIANCO for the Southbank Centre's Winter Festival

Delia Ceruti and Joachim Aussibal get tied up in NoFit State's BIANCO, photo courtesy of Seventh Wave

             NoFit State Circus has brought its Big Top tent to London as part of the Southbank Centre’s Winter Festival with a new version of its promenade show BIANCO.

             BIANCO takes the circus back to basics, in an environment that belongs to the performers who occupy the space just as much as the rapt audience who follows each heart-stopping move within it. The show is fluid, inviting the undulating audience to move forward to take a closer look and then step back to fully appreciate the beauty.

             Founded in 1986, Cardiff-based NoFit State delivers contemporary circus. The company is one of the few that still tours like a traditional circus, with everyone travelling and living together, as well as helping to put up the Big Top and operate the rigging systems in the show.

Photo courtesy of Tristram Kenton

             After Lyndall Merry, 32, from Wales completed circus training in Bristol, it was a life on the road doing what he had always dreamed of doing – trapeze. “I love performing. I get a real thrill out of performing. I love it when you’ve got a really good crowd who are giving you lots of energy. That feeling is incredible when you’re on point and everything’s easy and you’re giving to them and they’re giving back to you.”

             As well as being a trapeze artist in BIANCO, Merry is also the head rigger, which means that he designs and installs all of the flying systems. As the performers are suspended in the air, their fellow performers work in the shadows to support them with each smooth ascent and descent.

Danilo de Campos Pacheco, photo courtesy of  Maike Schulz

             Merry says, “People anticipate the hours of practice and training that go on to hone the disciplines and the skills, but it’s the technical community aspects that people don’t quite realise. They imagine that there’s a team of technical people, a team of laborers, that do the hard work, but actually, we do it.”

             If silly clowns and gimmicky balloon tricks are what you’re after, this is not the show for you. Directed by Firenza Guidi, BIANCO is both rough around the edges and tenderly executed, supported by an incredible live band.

Cecilia Zucchetti, photo courtesy of Seventh Wave

             A juggling pin goes astray here and there, while filled wine glasses wobble in the hands (and feet) of a contortionist, but the acts are done so deftly that I begin to wonder if the cast is just playing tricks on us. The contortionist in question is Ella Rose, 22, who originally hails from Australia and has joined the company for the London season of BIANCO.

             Rose points out that she was really bendy as a child, which predisposed her to contortion. Growing up in Albury, Australia, she toured with a children’s circus called the Flying Fruit Fly Circus School during her primary and secondary school years. She notes that the hard work came in when she had to learn how to be strong and how to control her body without hurting it.

Ella Rose during her contortion hand balancing act in BIANCO, photo courtesy of Tristram Kenton

             When asked what people would be surprised to know about her line of work, she laughs, “Maybe how many bruises I have that you can’t see. I think particularly for some of the work that I do, the feedback that I get afterwards is, ‘You look so beautiful and you make it look so easy’ and then I’m like, ‘My legs are six different shades of blue.’”

             There’s intentional mayhem as well as artful precision within the show. Francois Bouvier nimbly glides across the tight wire, slinking down into the splits, and Delia Ceruti rises and falls on a rope suspended in the air.

             The finale is dominated by Augusts Dakteris, who uses the strength of his body to maneuver around aerial straps, bringing the audience to a standstill. Just when I think the scene couldn’t get any more magical, it begins to snow – Christmas has come early.

Augusts Dakteris in the middle of a snowstorm, photo courtesy of Andrew Billington

            BIANCO has been seen by over a quarter of a million people in 11 different countries during its four-year run. The last time it was performed in London was in 2013 at Camden’s Roundhouse and London is now the last leg of the show before NoFit State begins research in 2017 for a new show.

             Merry says that the company has been working with the promenade style of show for 15 years, but the next goal is to create a seated show that still provides an immersive atmosphere and the same level of audience interaction.

Enni Lymi, photo courtesy of Tristram Kenton

             BIANCO will run at the Big Top, Southbank Centre, until 22 January 2017. Circus workshops, pre-show Q&A's, and seasonal performances are all available. Find out more and book tickets here. Although it is a promenade show, seats are available on request. Take advantage of the bar inside the tent, or outside at the Winter Festival, where you can warm up your hands over a fire while gazing into a big, beautiful London Eye.

Edward Scissorhands Cuts Straight to the Heart

             The true test of a great show is when the audience leaves wondering how the time could have possibly elapsed so quickly. Another is when the dance moves all look completely effortless, but you know that they are anything but easy. This is the power that choreographer/director Matthew Bourne holds with all of his dance productions. As the puppeteer who manipulates the strings, Bourne leaves you spellbound as a visionary fairytale is woven in front of your eyes. If you couldn’t tell already, I highly recommend Bourne’s work, having previously attended performances of Swan Lake (find my review here), Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker! Now I am able to add Edward Scissorhands to my ever-growing list. The show ends its run at Sadler’s Wells Theatre this month on the 11^th.  All tickets unsurprisingly sold out, so I apologize that they will be unavailable to purchase after I rave about it!

It's probably best that my friend and I leave it to the professionals...

             Bourne wanted to rework Edward Scissorhands for the stage ever since he saw the 1990 film directed by Tim Burton. The film has become a cult classic in its own right and usually pops up on television screens around Christmastime, just as it did this past year. If you don’t know the story, it follows quirky outsider Edward, who is the unfinished creation of an inventor who died before completing the job. Edward’s quest for love and acceptance proves not to be so easy, as his many efforts are thwarted and made more difficult due to having scissors for hands. The cookie cutter suburban town Edward finds himself in doesn’t know what has hit it!

 Johnny Depp, the Edward Scissorhands we have come to know and love, "teetered on the verge of tears throughout" Matthew Bourne's production and paid a visit to the cast backstage, photo courtesy of Sky TV

             Edward Scissorhands is a beautiful story in general, but when it’s coupled with tender dancing to music from Danny Elfman and Terry Davies, we are left with an even more melancholic and enchanting story. As with all of Bourne’s productions, the stage is a hotbed of activity. Since no talking is involved, the dancers have to rely on relaying nonverbal cues and facial expressions to the audience. This assumes a certain amount of perception from the audience members, because with such a busy atmosphere, it is up to us what we decide to hone in on and what we decide to leave in the periphery.

Domesticating Edward, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             For example, take the scene where the residents attend a Christmas dance. Edward starts to feel awkward and ashamed as he sizes up the dancers around him, each with two perfect hands. He cowers away from the dance floor, opting instead to slope around the outskirts. The embarrassment on his face is apparent and the longing he feels for Kim, who is dancing with her boyfriend Jim, is written all over his face. I divided my attention between the rest of the cast dancing and Edward, because by himself, his body language and pained visage told a story of its own accord. Details like this are precisely what will draw audiences to Bourne’s productions over and over again. Your observational skills and level of appreciation will continue to grow right alongside your number of viewings.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The idyllic neighborhood is made up of quaint homes and quaint people. The houses are painted in cheery hues, with cheery faces that emerge and retreat from their doors. There are the obligatory cheerleaders, jocks, doting mothers, and hardworking fathers. Despite appearances, the town holds its fair share of secrets as well. Joyce is a lonely housewife who regularly cheats on her husband and that shines through in her brilliant, sexualized dancing persona. She tries to seduce a very confused and frightened Edward, while the religious fanatics try to repel Edward with their crosses and prayers.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The breathtaking set borrows recognizable Burton-esque elements from the film. However, as to be expected, there are unique alterations that add a spin to the original. Edward finds nifty alternative uses for his “hands,” such as pruning bushes and hedges into animals, ice carving (which involves a scene with a gorgeous ice angel sculpture prop), and even making a job out of giving the neighbors “edgy” new haircuts. The production introduces a lovely dream sequence where Edward imagines that he has real hands. He is able to flirtatiously chase Kim around a garden made up of shrubs and trees decorated into shapes, which are actually people. They playfully join Edward and Kim’s game, concealing and revealing the two blissful imaginary lovebirds.

Edward and Kim share a tender moment, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             As for Dominic North, who plays our antihero Edward, anyone who can forgo opposable thumbs, trade them in for workable scissors (albeit false ones), and still manage to dance gracefully must automatically be dubbed as a seriously standout dancer. Indeed, North was nominated for Outstanding Male Dancer at the National Dance Awards in 2010. The irony of Edward Scissorhands though is the fact that Edward is gentle and peaceful. He doesn’t use his “scissorhands” with malicious intent, although he could well do. Jim, however, is rough and ready with his hands, using force with Kim and having an eventual blowout with Edward.

The neighborhood kids, with Kim and Jim front and center, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The story stands as a testament to human nature; we lash out against and attack what we don’t understand. Just as we are about to claim that nice guys don’t always finish last and Edward and Kim finally kiss, Edward is exiled once more to his former house upon the hill. As the cast took their final curtain call, they stayed in character until the very end, and as the applause subsided, we were all left wondering how the time could have possibly elapsed so quickly.

             For upcoming performances at Sadler’s Wells, visit the theatre’s website here. Explore the Edward Scissorhands production on the New Adventures website here. New Adventures is Bourne’s company with co-director Robert Noble.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson

Access Granted: London Fashion Week

Sophie (right), a fellow Rightster intern, and myself (left) at Somerset House for London Fashion Week

             As all of you savvy fashionistas are aware of already, London Fashion Week is well underway and has been since September 12th. I am writing this from the Rightster offices in Covent Garden, where I am interning during this hectic week. As the official digital partner of the British Fashion Council and IMG Fashion, Rightster manages online video distribution and marketing. I am quickly learning that a lot of behind the scenes work goes into providing the public with the kind of coverage they wish to see during London Fashion Week. Even if you are unable to get that coveted front row spot, I have the solution: live streaming.

             All of the major magazines' online websites are doing it. All of the bloggers are doing it. Here at Rightster, we are viewing via a giant television, so now I provide to you your hassle-free way to watch London Fashion Week, brought to you live. Witness all of the action as it's happening in situ and even the inaction, where you can catch an inside glimpse of the who's who and what they're wearing. The beauty of it all? You don't even have to dress up, or leave your couch, if you don't want to. I envy you your blister-less feet. For the full show schedule, visit the London Fashion Week website here. Tune in for the Spring/Summer 2015 collections until September 16th.

             For the Temperley show live stream, please use this separate player to view it on September 14th at 14:00 U.K. time (GMT+1). 

The Lesser-Known South West End

             The lure of the West End is a strong one, but it sometimes can overshadow the pull of smaller, but just as grand, theatres and their respective productions. Before hitting the West End, many performances actually start out in less hyped venues. All I need to do is travel into town from my university in order to reach Frank Matcham’s creation, Richmond Theatre. In other words, I’m spoiled! Opened in 1899 as the Theatre Royal and Opera House, Richmond Theatre was renovated in 1991 and is now run by The Ambassador Theatre Group Limited. It puts on more than 40 shows for 49 weeks per year, offering a versatile selection of drama, opera, musicals, dance, and family entertainment.

             Richmond Theatre’s interior is illuminated with silky reds, classical creams, and exuberant golds. An embellished “R” rests haughtily on the stage’s curtains, overlooking the assembled crowd of eager theatre patrons. I became one such theatre patron to attend the viewings of The Woman in Black in March and just recently, The Governess. Both can be considered psychological thrillers that unnervingly command the stage and scream for their building suspense to be appreciated on a personal level.

The Woman in Black at Richmond Theatre

             My mom came to visit me for the weekend, and on a whim, we decided to pick up some theatre tickets. After drinking our afternoon tea, it was as simple as waltzing into the theatre, choosing what show we wanted to watch, and paying for our tickets. My mom and I had no prior knowledge of The Governess,but the chances of choosing a bad show are slim to none, so a little spontaneity often pays off. On the evening of the performance, we ate at my favorite Italian restaurant in Richmond, Pizzeria Rustica. Since the restaurant is situated relatively close to the theatre, they offer a 20 percent discount off the bill for theatregoers. I never need an excuse to plunge into spaghetti bolognese, but the gratuitous deal gave me even more reason! It wasn’t hard to guess where most of the people in the restaurant were headed afterwards. Everyone was abuzz with chatter of the theatre and dressed smartly in suit jackets and breezy summer dresses. 

             Patrick Hamilton’s, The Governess, centers on a story of the Drew household’s missing baby. What seems like an innocent misunderstanding quickly turns into a living hell as the scramble to find the child becomes fruitless. Starring Peter Bowles as Detective Inspector Rough and Jenny Seagrove as Ethel Fry (the Governess), this whodunit has the audience suspecting everyone of the crime. Seagrove delivers an intense and maniacal performance as she starts to unravel near the play’s end. The play is not without its comedic elements sprinkled throughout, attributing Detective Inspector Rough as their main source. He remarks that if Mr. George Drew (Colin Buchanan) is an “irresistible force,” then he is an “immovable object,” in keeping with the paradox. One family’s secrets burst out into the open and we as an audience are brought along for the ride as mere voyeurs. The play comes in at no more than an hour and a half long, making it a delightful evening out regardless of the day of the week.

             The glitz and glam of London can put stars in your eyes, but when you wipe those stars from your eyes, every nook and cranny of London has something special to bring to the table. All you have to do is look, look and explore. Richmond Theatre has many coming attractions and part of their appeal lies in the fact that they only run for a few days each until they are replaced with new performances. To snap up your tickets and look at show listings, see here.

Andrew McMahon: Bring the Chapel Down

             As my friend and I arrived at Union Chapel, Islington on the evening of May 22nd, a crowd of worshipers had already gathered outside. Surprisingly, they were not your typical devotees of God, but with music as their religion, they were ready to sing the words of their savior. In this case, he came in the form of Andrew McMahon. 

             McMahon, a singer, songwriter, and pianist, was involved in bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin and also performs solo. After alighting from Highbury and Islington tube station, the chapel is impossible to miss with its looming steeple emerging from the surrounding trees. My friend and I decided to have a quick drink before the gig and we wound up at a quaint pub just opposite. If there was ever a time to be reminded of why I loathe tequila so much, it was while sitting in The Library stealing a sip of my friend’s margarita. Just as the salt granules gritted and dissolved against my teeth, it was time to join our fellow worshipers at the sold out show. 

             The seating arrangements worked on a first come, first serve basis, with people filing into the available pews. My friend and I managed to grab a spot in the center a few rows from the back. The interior décor was nothing short of stunning, with the sun not yet set and still beaming in through the stain glass panels. When the pews were all occupied downstairs, people started making their way upstairs for a bird’s eye view. The chapel was transformed in a very surreal way, with clutch bags taking the place of Bibles and hymnals, and chips and drinks being sold in the aisles.

             Opening act Fort Hope were an appropriate choice to prelude McMahon’s set and played with minimal equipment. Lead singer Jon Gaskin incorporated original and cover material with a voice that echoed immense range and pitch. When McMahon took the stage, his yellow sweater mirrored the still radiating sun. With a raw and stripped down performance, McMahon was accompanied only by a piano. The venue contributed by affording the audience the acoustic reverberations. The atmosphere that encapsulated the crowd was one of reverence, a mood that even McMahon alluded to. He apologized in advance for any swearing in the chapel (it didn’t do him much good) and expressed his delight at being back in London.

             With McMahon being the only illumination in the chapel, all eyes were fixated on him and the intensity that flickered across his face. He borrowed songs from Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, and his individual material, including songs from his recently released EP, “The Pop Underground.” It was easy to target the true fans just by listening. At certain intervals, the crowd’s voices almost merged with McMahon’s as they sang along in unison. One woman went so far as to break the norm and stand up for most of McMahon’s songs, while others started up the obligatory concert clapping. McMahon’s light-hearted demeanor and conversation shone through in his evidently breezy, natural interaction with the audience. 

             I will admit I did get a bit emotional during the gig, but with themes that are so relatable on a human level, it felt inhuman to not be affected. McMahon’s lyrics have the ability to make you truly feel something. He shared that “Rescued” is about that silence on the phone after you’ve broken up with someone and have nothing left to say. “Synesthesia’s” lyrics briefly discuss the success of the band Fun., friends of McMahon who he also opened for on tour. McMahon continued on to speculate, although cheerily, why he hadn’t received any music awards yet, and we all wondered the same.

             McMahon closed on “Konstantine,” a Something Corporate song coming in at an astounding nine minutes and 36 seconds long, but not feeling at all long enough. Now that’s what I call talent. Amen.

             View McMahon's official website here for tour dates and tickets, music, and more.