M MIME FESTIVAL
M I M E C L O W N V I S U A L T H E AT R E
MAKING THEATRE MAGICAL BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY WHAT’S ON
LONDON 10 - 2 5 J A N U A R Y 2004
www. mimefest. co.uk
AKHE
CONTENTS 11 7 18 20 26-27 28 4-5 19 14-15 6 9 21 12-13 25 8 20 10 21 16-17 22 23 24-25
A2 Akhe Black Hole Blind Summit Booking Information Calendar CanStage Chipolatas Compagnie 111 Fabrik Gandini Juggling Gecko Joan Baixas Max Wall Society Paolo Nani/ Kristjan Ingimarsson Patter Pep Bou Ridiculusmus Theatre 2.0 Told by an Idiot Winter Clown School Workshops
COMPAGNIE 111
The London International Mime Festival gratefully acknowledges financial support from: Arts Council England; Association Française d’Action Artistique/Ministère des Affaires Etrangères; Canada Council; Canadian High Commission; CoPEC (Culture from Catalonia); The Department of Canadian Heritage, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada); French Embassy, Institut français du Royaume Uni; Goethe-Institut; Royal Danish Embassy; SBC (registered charity). With special thanks to the Citadines Hotel group
Welcome to the 26th London International Mime Festival. 16 days of exciting contemporary visual theatre from CANADA CanStage, Theatre 2.0 DENMARK Paolo Nani & Kristjan Ingimarsson FRANCE Compagnie 111 GERMANY Fabrik RUSSIA Akhe SPAIN Joan Baixas, Pep Bou UK A2, Black Hole, Blind Summit, Chipolatas, Gandini Juggling, Gecko, Patter, Ridiculusmus, Told by an Idiot
THEATRE 2.0
SHOWS FOR FAMILIES CanStage, Chipolatas, Compagnie 111, Pep Bou SHOWS WITH CIRCUS SKILLS Chipolatas, Compagnie 111, Fabrik, Gandini Juggling SHOWS WITH PUPPETRY/ANIMATION Black Hole, Blind Summit, Compagnie 111, Joan Baixas, Pep Bou, Theatre 2.0 SHOWS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT CanStage , Joan Baixas (signed perf Sun 18), Pep Bou, Black Hole, Compagnie 111, Paolo Nani + Kristjan Ingimarsson, Told by an Idiot (signed perf Sun 25) SHOWS FOR AGES 15+ A2 , Akhe, Told by an Idiot WORKSHOPS AND TALKS See pages 24 + 25 MEET THE ARTISTS AFTER THE SHOW Fabrik, A2, Akhe, Joan Baixas, Compagnie 111, Told by an Idiot
The Barbican is owned, funded and managed by the Corporation of London.
FOR DETAILS OF DISABLED ACCESS PLEASE CONTACT THE VENUES SEE PAGES 26 + 27 A LARGE TEXT VERSION OF THIS BROCHURE IS AVAILABLE AT MIMEFEST.CO.UK
page 4
CANADA
Can clothes change your life? Find out in this intricate, stylised and beautifully choreographed comedy of splendour and madness set in 19th century Russia. Based on Nikolai Gogol's classic short stories The Overcoat and Diary of a Madman, and set to the sweeping music of Shostakovich, this multiple award winning production tells the tale of an ordinary office worker whose life is transformed when he acquires a fabulous new overcoat. With its dynamic mix of music and thrilling physical theatre, this play without words evokes Keaton, Chaplin and the masters of silent film. Each element of the show - 22 strong cast, spectacular set design, haunting lighting and striking
photo © David Cooper
period costumes - combines to create a magical world.
BARBICAN THEATRE
TUE 20 – SAT 24 JAN
7.45PM
RUNS APPROX 90 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL RECOMMENDED AGE RANGE: 7 AND ABOVE
TICKETS 0845 120 7553
£7, £12, £16, £21, £26, £30 (BKG FEE)
LBC 97.3FM is the official media partner of The Overcoat
page 5
A CanStage Production Created by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling Produced by CanStage, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts and Glynis Henderson Productions Presented in association with BITE:04
'Dazzling, hilarious, enchanting, beautiful and haunting...It will make you laugh and send shivers down your spine. In a word, spectacular'. THE GLOBE AND MAIL 'I loved it. Visually stunning and definitely not the norm. Brilliant.' COLIN FARRELL
'A seamless piece of dance theatre that operates on a grand scale'. VARIETY
BITE:04 and LIMF gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canadian High Commission and the Canada Council The Overcoat tour is made possible via funding from the Canada Council, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
CANADA
The Canadian Stage Company
page 6
GERMANY
Exploiting limitations of space, Pandora 88 is a lyrical performance by Fabrik that blurs division between dance and theatre. A 'box' barely the size of a small lift encapsulates the shared experiences and life paths of the two performers. It is their playground, home, prison, their source of light, sound and memories. Inspired by Brian Keenan's Beirut hostage memoirs, An Evil Cradling, and Stanley Kubrick's film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Wolfgang Hoffmann and Sven Till have created one of the recent Edinburgh Fringe's most talked about shows, winning five star reviews and Scotsman Fringe First, Herald Angel and Total Theatre awards. The director is Britain's Andrew Dawson, co-creator of long-running stage hits, Thunderbirds FAB and Space Panorama. 'Not to be missed'. THE TIMES
'Extraordinarily inventive dance theatre... one of the most captivating shows in Edinburgh. Shattering.' THE GUARDIAN
'Simply unforgettable.'
PURCELL ROOM
SAT 10 – MON 12 JAN
RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
£12.50 (£9 CONCS)
Presented in association with SBC Supported by the Goethe-Institut
www.fabrikpotsdam.de
SAT, MON 8PM, SUN 6PM
AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION SUN 11 JAN
Photo © Stefan Gloede
THE SCOTSMAN
page 7
scenes, the work of Russia's Akhe group owes as much to the visual arts
RUSSIA
Cult icons in Moscow and St. Petersburg's independent arts
and cinema as to any kind of theatre. Like all its shows, the surreal and darkly comic White Cabin is filled with countless absurd, inspired, bizarre and often touching 'events'. The result is dream theatre of chaos, a crazy variety show of fantastic images and endlessly changing stage pictures. Winner of Russia's Golden Mask Award and now in demand at festivals all over Europe, Akhe has also collaborated on projects with well-known fellow Russian artists, Slava Polunin and Derevo. 'There is theatrical magic in this beguiling display of visual imagination’. THE INDEPENDENT
'Dizzying, dark and immensely satisfying'. THE GUARDIAN
'Hysterically funny and increasingly disquieting'.
Photo © Poehlein
SUNDAY HERALD
PURCELL ROOM
WED 14 – SUN 18 JAN
RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
WED - SAT 8PM, SUN 6PM
AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION THUR 15 JAN
£12.50 (£9 CONCS)
Presented in association with SBC
page 8
DENMARK In 70 minutes of wordless hilarity, and tenderness, The Art of Dying explores the big taboo issue we all have to face but want to ignore. Paolo Nani and Kristjan Ingimarsson are two clowns, a long-standing double act at the peak of their career. Suddenly one of them learns he is dying. How does a clown die? Are there any instructions? How to die politely, without making a mess? And does it really have to be in the middle of a successful tour? With nothing to lose, it's time to enjoy the 'now' as never before. But in the fantastic mystery of Life Before Death, nothing is quite straightforward.. Italian born Paolo Nani scored a hit at the festival with his previous show, The Letter, winner of the 1992 European Comedy Award and performed more than 600 times all over Europe. This new production with Kristjan Ingimarsson seems set for similar success. 'Great comic theatre about man and his fragility you might just die laughing'. L'ECO DI BERGAMO. ITALY
'Incredibly funny, warm and touching'. LOFOTPOSTEN. NORWAY
Presented in association with SBC Supported by the Royal Danish Embassy
Also at: Leicester Phoenix Arts Thu 15 Jan 0116 255 4854
PURCELL ROOM
MON 19 – TUE 20 JAN
RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
£12.50 (£9 CONCS)
8PM
Croydon Clocktower Fri 16 Jan 020 8253 1030 Newbury Corn Exchange Sat 17 Jan 01635 522 733
page 9
UK
Gandini Juggling is a London-based group of virtuoso jugglers, considered by circus connoisseurs to be the crème de la crème of dexterous creativity. Choreographed by long time collaborator, Gill Clarke, its double bill for the Mime Festival celebrates a decade of exuberant juggling. In Duet, a new work directed by John Paul Zaccarini (Company F/Z) and set to a soundtrack of fado and romantic songs, and with Guy Bellingham live on musical saw, company founders Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala put a mirror to their work/life relationship, as lovers and juggling partners. Quartet, an unashamed celebration of group juggling features Iñaki Fernandez Sastre, Sean Gandini, Manu Laude and Kati Ylä-Hokkala. The Gandini quartet is a tightly knit precision machine, weaving complex patterns with balls, clubs and rings – 30 minutes of joyous virtuosity set to the music of Vivaldi. 'Somewhere between juggling and dance, this beautifully performed piece is light but resonant with a simple emotional pull and a lovely understated maturity.' THE TIMES
‘Breathtaking choreography... funny and aesthetically delightful. The audience, myself included, were rapt!’
Photo © Hugo Glendinning
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
PURCELL ROOM
WED 21 – THUR 22 JAN
RUNS APPROX 60 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
8PM
WORKSHOP: SEE PAGES 24 & 25
£12.50 (£9 CONCS)
Presented in association with SBC Quartet was partly funded by a Science and Art Award from the Wellcome Trust
page 10
SPAIN In one of the most extraordinary creations imaginable, Catalan theatre magician Pep Bou conjures a seductive planetarium of brilliant colour, airiness and light. Infused with the alchemy and off-beat humour of an exotic Mediterranean tradition of visual theatre, Bufaplanetes explores a secret universe and its mysteries, great and small. Pure enchantment, technical wizardry, fleeting and fragile - and it's all done with soap bubbles! A classic. Suitable for all ages. Pep Bou grew up in Barcelona where he originally trained as an architect. In a twenty year performance career his work has held audiences spellbound around the world. Bufaplanetes was previously featured in a sold-out season at the 1998 Festival. Early booking recommended. 'Never have I been so enchanted.... Bufaplanetes has won a string of awards in Europe and it's not hard to see why. It's funny, enchanting and simply delightful'.
Photo © Robert Ramos
EVENING POST. NEW ZEALAND
www.pepbou.com
PURCELL ROOM
FRI 23 – SUN 25 JAN
FRI - SAT 8PM, SAT-SUN MATS 4PM
RUNS APPROX 85 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
£12.50 (£9 CONCS)
Presented in association with SBC
Also at: NEWBURY CORN EXCHANGE Wed 21 Jan 01635 522 733
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UK
Tell me you love me Why? I want to hear how it sounds What sort of sound are you looking for? It doesn’t really matter as long as it sounds real…. An emotionally provocative investigation about human relationships and the games we play, the personalities we are conditioned to hide and those we see fit to reveal. From the sublime to the ridiculous, A2 (Alit Kreiz & Anton Mirto) expose the personal behaviour patterns of two women, who, in order to find solutions for being together, must choose between living their lives out of fantasy or reality. A2 conjure a modern fairy tale that never ends, but rather, stops in interesting places, creating a series of sensual and poetic images to linger in the memory. A2’s recent projects include do you want this once again? (LIMF 2003) and all those people I have met (Hoxton Hall 2003). Their next project is a residency at Parc de la Villette, Paris. ‘Their special gift appears to be an ability to lure us into their world and hold us there charmed, touched and rapt.’ DANCE EUROPE
‘The startlingly talented A2 company are crafting compelling work that seduces and illuminates in equal measure.’ THE STAGE
ICA
MON 12 – WED 14 JAN
RUNS APPROX 60 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7930 3647
Photo © Hugo Glendinning
8PM AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION: TUE 13 JAN
£12 (£9 CONCS + ICA MEMBERS) INC DAY M’SHIP
page 12
SPAIN ICA
THUR 15 – SUN 18 JAN
RUNS APPROX 60 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 7930 3647
8PM AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION: FRI 16 JAN
£12 (£9 CONCS + ICA MEMBERS) INC DAY M’SHIP
page 13
SPAIN
In a spell-binding
For almost twenty years, from New
'It is rare to be in the presence of an artist like Joan Baixas. His long career as performer and visual artist coupled with great humanity lend a profundity to his explorations on stage.’
York's Lincoln Center to the Sydney
CURTAIN UP. NEW YORK
experience for eyes and ears, Catalan artist Joan Baixas creates paintings live on stage.
Opera House, Baixas toured the world with his ground-breaking mime and puppet ensemble, Theatre La Claca, for which he devised, directed and appeared in extraordinary performances produced in collaboration with acclaimed painters, most famously his friend, Joan Miro. He has directed and designed theatre projects with Els Comediants and Circus Oz, events for cinema, TV and the fashion world and was director of Barcelona's International Visual Theatre and Puppetry Festival. His last show Terra Prenyada was seen at Brighton's Visions Festival. In this sensual new work Joan Baixas explores events, issues and emotions through colour, image, energy and projection. Using a lit backdrop he paints a journey through cycles of life and death, love and loss. Live deejay music provides the sound texture.
'Visual poetry.' LE FIGARO
page 14
FRANCE Following its success with IJK at last year's Festival, (think of it as Stomp with balls or Mondrian on acid Sunday Times) Compagnie 111 returns with its spectacular new show - a thrilling mix of circus, dance, video, 'sonic' whiteball juggling and optical illusion. Performed on a cunning, tilting set, in itself a source of tricks and transformations, Plan B also juggles with perspective and the laws of gravity. From the opening magic of Aurelien Bory's haunting guitar the show unfolds like a dream. Impressive, complex and witty. Seeing is believing, or more likely not! Compagnie 111 members trained at the Lido Circus School in Toulouse and worked with Mladan Materic's Tattoo Theatre before setting up their own ensemble in 1999. Plan B is directed by Phil Soltanoff, artistic director of Mad Dog Theatre Company in New York. ‘Sensational! With its magical inventiveness, its technical perfection, its humour and poetry, Plan B makes the dream of Icarus come true.’ LA DEPECHE DU MIDI SPECIAL HALF PRICE OFFER FOR UNDER 16S ON SUNDAY 18 JAN - £13 / £16 SEATS REDUCED TO £6.50/£8
RECOMMENDED AGE RANGE: 8 YEARS AND ABOVE
QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL FRI – SAT 7.45PM, SUN 4PM
FRI 16 – SUN 18 JAN
AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION: SAT 17 JAN
TICKETS 020 7960 4242
£10/£13/£16 (SUN ONLY: UNDER16S £6.50/£8)
Presented in association with SBC Supported by the French Embassy, Institut français du Royaume-Uni and Association Française d’Action Artistique/Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
page 15
FRANCE
page 16
CANADA The room is dark, the seats are few. You sit and wait until a blackness creeps up over you, embraces you, and then the sound begins – the heartbeat sound, the rasping sound, it surrounds you and swallows you until you are unsure if it comes from outside of you or from within you. Keep your eyes open. Keep your heart beating. And don’t forget to breath[e]… Performed in a specially created environment for twenty seven people at a time, BREATH[e] is a play without words or actors, a play that happens to you, not just in front of you.
ICA
WED 21 – SUN 25 JAN
WED – FRI 7PM, 8PM
SAT 6PM. 7PM, 8PM
TICKETS 020 7930 3647
SUN 3PM
RUNS APPROX 30 MINS
£8 (£6 CONCS + ICA MEMBERS) INC DAY M’SHIP
Presented with support from the Canada Council for the Arts Conseil des Arts du Canada
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CANADA
Inspired by Samuel Beckett's famous 30 second drama, Breath, this is an unforgettable journey through colour and sound, mirroring the flow of energy centres or chakras, positioned along the human spine. Theatre 2.0 is a Toronto-based company established to produce the radical work of set and lighting designer, Steve Lucas, whose more than 200 theatre, dance, performance art and opera productions include work with Robert Lepage. It focuses on original concepts or adaptations where process, structure and meaning are equally important. 'A sensory extravaganza, a mind-stretching voyage... for every person that ventures down this rabbit hole, the experience will shape a different story.’ TORONTO STAR
‘To make theatre, all you need is a defined space and things that enter and leave that space. You could even make a play without an actor. Theatre is presence and absence.’ RICHARD FOREMAN
page 18
UK Paka’s new show is a spectacular story of one man and his horse. And not just any horse – Paka whistles up his life-sized
‘Paka’s act is singularly funny.’
mechanical steed and escapes on an
Critics choice, Time Out.
The Singularity
adventure into his past. An extraordinary journey unfolds – deserts are crossed,
‘Firmly in the tradition of
storms endured and seas swum. A
futuristic performance artistry…
magical equestrian act appears before
uniformly stunning: the aesthetic
your eyes, a life-changing accident rears
eccentric and inspiring.’
its head and our grubby hero confronts
Beware the Cat Magazine.
The Singularity
the dragon of his worst nightmare. Forget Me Not features London’s cutting-edge clown in a show that boasts at least forty hands (and we’re not talking horse height). Directed by Andy Lavender, an array of international artists harness their talents to create a theatrical event filled with puppetry, pyrotechnics, robotics, music and video. Created by the team that produced the sensational The Singularity (LIMF 1998), this is horseplay with a difference- a stunning ride and a tender treat.
THE ALBANY 8PM (7PM SUNS)
THU 15 – SUN 18, WED 21 – SUN 25 JAN RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL
TICKETS 020 8692 4446
£10 (£6 CONCS)
(CONTINUES TO FRI 30 JAN)
Presented with the support of Arts Council
Co-production: Art of Regeneration - A project
England, Lewisham Council, Central School of
of The National Theatre, The Albany and
Speech and Drama and The Circus Space.
London International Mime Festival
page 19
UK
Festival favourites The Chipolatas present a full colour, family circustheatre show, featuring scratches and samples, samba and fun(ky) street styles with their own inimitable explosive energy! This year they have teamed up with local youth group The 99A Project to create music and movement that celebrates communication beyond mere words. Ideal for families and fun for all ages.
FREE
Photo © Guto Muniz
BALLROOM FLOOR ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL SAT 17 – SUN 18 JAN 1PM
FREE
Presented in association with SBC Education
SCRATCH PERFORMANCES @ BAC & ICA
PATTER The Experts
It’s 24hrs since this mess started and the hottest day in living memory. The Experts have been summoned. There’s evidence to weigh, dust to be sifted, prints lifted. But it’s fragile, willfully unstable. Clues are evaporating in the nerve-crackling heat and a thunderstorm is about to break. Time check: 16:00 hours. In one hour the rain will come and wash everything away. The clock is ticking… Combining a vivid soundscape with an irrepressible physicality, The Experts is a darkly humorous visual poem exploring crime scene analysis and forensic truth. ‘an utter delight from start to finish.’ The Herald on Patter’s debut show: patter… a playful meditation on magic BAC Supported Artists 2003 Commissioned by BAC
BAC TUE 13 – THU 15 JAN 8PM TICKETS 020 7223 2223 £4.75 (£3.50 CONCS)
BLIND SUMMIT Martin’s Wedding
Fashion photographer puppet Martin wakes on his wedding morning with a MASSIVE hangover. Full of regret, he throws himself out of a window. He hits the ground, bangs his head and when he comes round he can't remember anything… The story of a small man, pursued by three women, trying to get to the altar to marry a woman he can’t remember… Following their success with Pirate Puppetry in BAC’s Octoberfest last year, and hot from touring The Spaceman, Blind Summit apply their unique actor-puppeteer style to scratch a new show about London, fashion and wedding nerves. ‘A remarkable evening… thrillingly unconventional.’ Time Out on Mr China’s Son ‘Hugely inventive theatre.’ Metro on The Spaceman BAC Supported Artists 2003 BAC FRI 16 - SUN 18 JAN FRI – SAT 8PM, SUN 6PM TICKETS 020 7223 2223 £4.75 (£3.50 CONCS)
page 21
In the successful ‘scratch performance’ format pioneered by BAC, the Mime Festival presents an early glimpse of new work in development.
RIDICULUSMUS How to be Funny
Fresh from the success of its latest show Ideas Men... (’sublimely amusing’ Telegraph ’inspired’ Times) first seen as a scratch performance at LIMF 2003 before enjoying a hugely successful run at the Barbican's BITE:03 and now touring the UK, Ridiculusmus takes time out to present some new ideas at the ICA, scratching under the title How to be Funny. Ridiculusmus is Jon Hough and David Woods. Its previous shows include Yes, Yes, Yes, The Exhibitionists (LIMF 2000) and Say Nothing. Ridiculusmus is produced by Your Imagination
ICA MON 19 JAN 8PM TICKETS 020 7930 3647
GECKO The Race
RUNS APPROX 40 MINS £5 (£4 CONCS + ICA MEMBERS) INC DAY M’SHIP
No sooner are we born than a clock begins ticking towards our inevitable death. And yet at each moment of life, with every breath, we share an instinct that drives us to survive. We ourselves are the latest in a long line of survivors, carrying with us the stories of those who came before and ensuring the survival of our race. And yet, we live in an age where we feel increasingly isolated from each other, from our personal histories and from ourselves. An opportunity to see an early stage in the development of Gecko’s second show; the first, Taylor’s Dummies, was Guardian Pick of the Fringe, 2002 and Time Out Critics' Choice of the Year, 2002. ‘Gecko combines a deliciously warped imagination with all-out physical daring.’ The Times BAC Supported Artists 2003 Commissioned by BAC
BAC TUE 20 – WED 21 JAN 8PM RUNS APPROX 70 MINS TICKETS 020 7223 2223 £4.75 (£3.50 CONCS)
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UK A unique theatre experience, fusing live jazz, improvisation, and a new dance craze where the world literally turns upside down. Following the sell-out runs of A Little Fantasy ('90 minutes of pure pleasure, a deeply eccentric and beguiling show' Daily Telegraph) and Playing The Victim (‘beautifully judged performances’ Daily Mail), Told by an Idiot complete the celebration of their tenth anniversary. Based on the life and work of French cult novelist Boris Vian, I'm A Fool To Want You promises to be a freewheeling look at the nature of deception, an act of revenge, and the desire to live in the moment. Inspired by Vian's bizarre death, and performed in a style of extreme comic physicality, I’m a Fool to Want You will lure you into a world of the fantastic where the unexpected is perfectly normal. The company will be joined by Perrier Jazz award-winning pianist Zoe Rahman, who will perform alongside Told by an Idiot co-founder Hayley Carmichael (Time Out Best Actress Award), and regular 'Idiot' Stephen Harper (I Weep At My Piano and Shoot Me In The Heart). Conceived and directed by Paul Hunter ‘Britain's barmiest physical theatre ensemble’ THE GUARDIAN MINIMUM AGE: 15
SAT 24 – SUN 25 JAN
SAT 8PM, SUN 6PM
(CONTINUES TO 22 FEB)
AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION: SUN 25 JAN
TICKETS 020 7223 2223
£14.75 (£6.50 CONCS)
Developed at and commissioned by BAC
WORKSHOP: PAGE 25
Photo © Sheila Burnett
BAC
page 23
clown workshop with Angela de Castro
UK
HOW TO BE A STUPID THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS with Barry & Joan Grantham
I LIKE TO SING IN THE BATH with Juliet Hill
MON 12 – SUN 25 JAN Mon - Fri 9.30am-6pm Choir performance dates: Sat 24 & Sun 25 Jan Course fee £350 Venue: Lavender Hill, London SW11 Bookings: The Why Not Institute 020 7739 8363
"This is a wonderful self-contained course which we ran very successfully in Edinburgh in summer 2003. The singing and dancing act as supporting disciplines to the clowning, giving students a great chance to put it all together immediately in a performance at the end of the school." de Castro How To Be A Stupid is a practical clowning and performance craft workshop about the profound search for the clown within. Clowning is not a technique but a state and the aim is to encourage participants to find their path to this state. As an introduction to de Castro’s method, the workshop builds trust, confidence and a common vocabulary among the participants. It works as a process of discovery for beginners and reassurance for those who are already clowning and need a burst of energy and focus. This workshop is inspiring, emotional, reassuring, energetic and not for the fainthearted. Be ready to work hard, have homework, think, be challenged and laugh! Angela de Castro Since moving to England from her native Brazil 17 years
ago, de Castro has developed an international reputation as a master clown teacher, performer and director. De Castro is a Nesta (National Endowment for Science Technology & the Arts) Dream Time Fellow and a 2003 Arts Foundation Awardee. She toured with groundbreaking contemporary circus groups and is well known for her clown ‘Rough’ in the awardwinning Slava’s Snowshow. She has extensively toured her own shows, The Gift and My Life Is Like A Yo Yo and currently has a show about Shakespeare’s fools, only fools no horses, and a Clown Opera in development. There’s No Business Like Show Business is led by Barry & Joan Grantham. In this workshop there will be a chance to learn time-honoured Show Biz routines, as well as eccentric steps made famous by performers like Max Wall, Little Tich, Rubberneck Jackley, and Snakehips Johnson! I Like To Sing In The Bath is led by Juliet Hill. This workshop is for everyone who wants to develop their rhythm and pitch, develop a better ear, and learn to sing more confidently with others and on their own. If you like singing in the bath, if you’ve ever wanted to put singing into your performing but never felt confident enough to do it, then this workshop is for you! TO BOOK: Contact The Why Not Institute for a booking form and for any queries on 020 7739 8363 The Why Not Institute, People Show Studios, Pollard Row, London E2 6NB E-mail: whynotinstitutue@aol.com
WINTER CLOWN SCHOOL
Led by Angela de Castro, Founder/Director of The Why Not Institute, with guest teachers Juliet Hill and Barry & Joan Grantham, this is an opportunity to learn clowning, group singing and eccentric dancing, putting them all together into an exciting performance of The Why Not Institute’s clown choir, the HaHarmonics, at BAC.
page 24
WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
TOTAL THEATRE TALKS An exploration of female practitioners within the physical and visual sector. Voice Box, Royal Festival Hall: Sat 17 Jan 2.30-4.30pm The discussion will look at the way in which female practitioners work and explores issues surrounding working methodologies. The international panel will be led by Dick McCaw. £5.50 (£3.50 concs). The event is FREE to Total Theatre Members. One ticket per Individual/student member, two tickets for all other membership categories. Limited capacity so early booking is recommended. Please e-mail: talks@totaltheatre.org.uk or call 020 7729 7944 Further details of speakers available on the Total Theatre Website: www.totaltheatre.org.uk
GANDINI JUGGLING Half-day juggling workshop with Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala Sat 17 Jan: 2-5pm Led by Sean and Kati who have been researching and teaching juggling for the last decade, this workshop will be about enjoying the many possibilities involved in throwing and catching. The day is aimed at jugglers of all levels and hopes to give participants an opportunity to widen their skills and learn new patterns.
page 25
Course fee: £25.00 Bookings: The Circus Space 020 7729 9522 Venue: The Circus Space, Coronet Street, London N1 6HD
THEATRE DE L'ANGE FOU & ECOLE DU MIME CORPOREL DRAMATIQUE Making Visible the Invisible (Etienne Decroux) Sat 17-Sun 18 Jan: 11am-2pm A two-day intensive workshop, offering the opportunity to explore the infinite theatrical expression of the human body through the precise and creative method of Corporal Mime. Led by Steve Wasson and Corinne Soum, the last assistants of Etienne Decroux, directors of the Ecole du Mime Corporel Dramatique, and members of their company, Theatre de l'Ange Fou, this training will be divided into several areas: Technique, Improvisation and Repertoire. Course fee: £60.00 Venue: Belgravia Workshops, 157-163 Marlborough Road, London N19 4NF Booking: 020 7263 9339 Transport: Archway Tube Station. (Marlborough Rd is off Holloway Rd towards Hornsey Rd). Buses: 43, 210, 271.
THE TEACHINGS OF JACQUES LECOQ Sat 24-Sun 25 Jan: 10am to 3.30 pm (with 1/2 hour break) This two-day workshop will give an introduction to the dramatic use of time, rhythm and pace and is based on the teachings of the late Jacques Lecoq. It is addressed to actors, dancers and other performing artists, who are attracted to the idea of creating her or his own theatre. The workshop is animated by Thomas Prattki, founder and director of the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) and former pedagogical director of
the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, and Amy Russell, Chair of the Naropa University MFA Programme in Physical Theatre at LISPA. Course fee: £100.00 Booking: Maider Illana on 0208 969 7004 or email welcome@lispa.co.uk. Venue: London International School of Performing Arts Ground Floor, 272 Latimer Road London W10 6QY Tube: Latimer Road (Hammersmith & City Line). Exit right along Bramley Rd, passing under the flyover, and take 2nd left into Oxford Gardens. At the end, turn right into Latimer Rd. LISPA is on the right just by Latimer Place.
ASPECTS OF MAX WALL The Greenwich Theatre Sat 24 Jan: 11am-11pm First major event of the recently established Max Wall Society to celebrate the life and work of this unique and much loved actor/ clown. The day includes an exhibition of his life and achievements and a Variety Bill of mime, mirth, movement and music. Full details direct from Greenwich Theatre Box Office 020 8858 7755 or by post (with SAE) from: The Secretary, Max Wall Society, 11 Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road WC2N 4EZ
TOLD BY AN IDIOT The Sound of Surprise Sat 31 Jan-Sun 1 Feb: 10am-5pm As a companion to their new show I'm a Fool to Want You, Told by an Idiot offers this dynamic two-day workshop. Using live and recorded sound, the company will explore the use of music to provoke spontaneity and chaotic improvisation. Price: £65.00 Bookings, venue and workshop info: 020 7978 4200
WORKSHOPS, TALKS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
The workshop will be tailored to the participant’s needs. However, the menu will include ways of making simple things complex and complex things more accessible.
020 7223 2223
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www.bac.org.uk
BOOKING
Lavender Hill SW11 5TN The Albany Douglas Way Deptford London SE8 4AG
The Barbican Silk Street EC2Y 8DS
0845 120 7553
www.barbican.org.uk
020 8692 4446
Show: The Overcoat
Show: Black Hole
By Phone: Daily 9am-8pm. Booking fee £1.75 including return of tickets by 1st class postage, time permitting.
www.thealbany.org.uk
Box Office Open Tue - Sun 3 hrs before performance Christmas closure: 25-26 Dec, 1 Jan Disabled access. Ring for details Transport: By Train: Frequent CONNECT METRO to Deptford/New Cross from London Bridge/Waterloo East/ Charing Cross. Journey time approx. 10-15mins. By Tube: East London line from Whitechapel to New Cross. By Bus: 21,36,47,136,171,177,188, 225, N1, N3, N47, N21, N53, N70, N81
In Person: At the Advance Box Office, Silk Street entrance, Ground Floor (Level 0) Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12 noon-8pm. Christmas closure: 25-26 Dec, 1 Jan By Post: Cheques made payable to 'The Barbican Centre' and sent to the Box Office at the above address. Please include s.a.e. or add 50p to cover postage. On-Line: Tickets to all events can be booked on-line 24 hours a day on www.barbican.org.uk at the reduced booking fee of £1. Transport: By Tube/Train: 5 minutes from Barbican station, 10 minutes from Bank, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Moorgate,Mansion House and St. Pauls. By Bus: 4 and 56 stop on Aldersgate, 153 stops on Beech Street, 55 and 243 stop on Old Street, 43,76,141,214,271 stop on City Road, 100 stops on London Wall.
Paolo Nani + Kristjan Ingimarsson
Shows: The Experts Martin’s Wedding The Race I’m a Fool To Want You In Person: Mon 10.30am-6pm Tue-Sat 10.30am-9pm Sun 4-8pm Christmas closure: 24-26 Dec, 29, 31 Dec, 1 Jan By Phone: 020 7223 2223 until 6pm (7pm on Sun). By Post: Send cheque made payable to 'BAC Ltd' to The Box Office, at the above address. Tickets will be held at the box office. Online bookings www.bac.org.uk
Reservations: Unpaid reservations should be collected within 3 working days of the booking, or 1 hour before the show if the booking is made less than 3 days before. BAC cannot guarantee late admission. Transport: By Train: 10 minutes from Clapham Junction station (from Waterloo or Victoria main line stations). Turn left out of station and walk up the hill. Cross the junctions with Falcon and Latchmere Roads. BAC is on the left just after Theatre Street. By Tube: Victoria Line to Vauxhall, then 77 or 77A bus. Allow 30 mins for bus journey.
Katharine Street, Croydon CR9 1ET 020 8253 1030 www.croydon.gov.uk/ clocktower Show: The Art of Dying In Person/By Phone: Mon-Sat 10am-8.30pm Sun 12 noon-8.30pm Christmas closing: Box Office closed 24 Dec to 1 Jan inclusive Transport: By Train: 10 minutes from either East or West Croydon stations By Bus: close to the major Croydon bus routes and 10 mins from West Croydon bus garage. By Tram: nearest stop is George Street. By Car: nearest car park is 'Fairfield' in Barclay Road or 'Surry Street' in Scarbrook Road.
FOR THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL MIME FESTIVAL Directors: Helen Lannaghan & Joseph Seelig Press Representative: Anna Arthur PR (020 7637 2994) Festival Co-ordinator: Silvia Maroino Production Manager: Bill Deverson Marketing Consultant: Daniel Pursey Brochure/web design: Iain Lanyon @ Kean Lanyon (www.keanlanyon.com) Printed by: Fulcrum Colour Printers LIMF: 35 Little Russell Street, London WC1A 2HH Tel: 44 (0) 20 7637 5661 Fax: 44 (0) 20 7323 1151 e-mail: mimefest@easynet.co.uk www.mimefest.co.uk
The Mall SW1Y 5AH 020 7930 3647 www.ica.org.uk Shows: miss, did it hurt... Dopamine Suite How to be Funny Breath[e] In Person/By Phone: Mon-Sun 12 noon-9.30pm (most busy between 6-9pm) On-line: www.ica.org.uk By E-mail: tickets@ica.org.uk allow 24 hours for processing. By Post: Send cheque made payable to 'ICA Ltd.' with a 1st class s.a.e. to the Ticket Office, at the above address, or provide credit card details, adding 50p for processing. Christmas closure: 24-26 Dec, 31 Dec, 1 Jan Transport: By Tube/Train: a short walk from Charing Cross, Embankment and Piccadilly stations. By Bus: 3,6,9,11,12,13,15,23,2 4,53,77A,88,91,159,176 which stop on Strand or Whitehall and 29,91,139 stop on Pall Mall.
CENTRAL ADVANCE BOOKING FACILITY We are offering you the facility to book all your tickets in advance by post, if your order reaches the Mime Festival office by Thursday 18 December. A booking form is available from www.mimefest.co.uk Or we can fax you a copy if you ring us on 020 7637 5661
Royal Festival Hall incorporating The Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall Belvedere Road SE1 8XX 020 7960 4242 www.rfh.org.uk Shows: Pandora 88 White Cabin The Art of Dying Duet / Quartet Bufaplanetes Plan B The Chipolatas
BOOKING
s
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In Person: RFH Box Office daily 11am9pm QEH/Purcell Room 1 hour before performance. By Phone: 020 7960 4242 daily 9am-8pm. Handling charge £1.50 per phone transaction. Christmas closure: from 5pm on 24 Dec, reopening at 1pm on 26 Dec and from 6pm on 31 Dec, re-opening at 2pm on New Year's Day. By E-mail: boxoffice@rfh.org.uk On-Line: www.rfh.org.uk By Post: Cheques should be made payable to 'South Bank Centre' and sent with first class s.a.e. or add 50p postage to The Box Office, at above address. Leave amount blank but indicate upper limit. Please quote your name, address and phone numbers. Minicom Textphone: 020 7921 0921. Transport: By Tube: Waterloo, or cross river from Temple, Embankment or Charing Cross. By Bus: 1,4,26,59,68,76,168,171,172,17 6,188,243,341,501,521,X68 By Train: Waterloo or Waterloo East
LONDON INTERNATIONAL MIME FESTIVAL 2004
DATE Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon 12
PURCELL ROOM
Thur 15 Fri 16 Sat 17 Sun 18 Mon 19 Tue 20 Wed 21 Thur 22 Fri 23 Sat 24 Sun 25
BAC
ALBAN
8pm
Fabrik 6pm
Fabrik 8pm
Tue 13 Wed 14
ICA
Fabrik
A2
8pm
A2
Patter
A2
Patter
Joan Baixas
Patter
Black H
Joan Baixas
Blind Summit
Black H
Joan Baixas
Blind Summit
Black H
Joan Baixas
Blind Summit
Black H
8pm
Akhe 8pm
Akhe 8pm
Akhe 8pm
Akhe 8pm
Akhe 6pm
Nani/Ing’son 8pm
8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm
8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 6pm
8pm 8pm 8pm 7pm
Ridiculusmus 8pm
Nani/Ing’son
Gecko 8pm
8pm
Gandini
Theatre 2.0
Gandini
Theatre 2.0
Black H
Pep Bou
Theatre 2.0
Black H
Pep Bou
Theatre 2.0
Told by an Idiot Black H
Pep Bou
Theatre 2.0
Told by an Idiot Black H
8pm 8pm 8pm
4 + 8pm 4pm
7 + 8pm
Gecko 8pm
7 + 8pm
3pm
8pm 8pm
7 + 8pm
6 + 7 + 8pm
Black H
8pm 8pm 6pm
Plus Total Theatre Talk and Workshops - see pages 24-25
8pm 7pm
NY
RFH FOYER CROYDON C’TWR
BARBICAN
QE HALL
DATE Sat 10 Sun 11 Mon 12 Tue 13 Wed 14
Hole
Thur 15
Hole
Nani / Ing’son
Compagnie 111
Hole
Chipolatas
Compagnie 111
Sat 17
Hole
Chipolatas
Compagnie 111
Sun 18
8pm 1pm 1pm
Fri 16
7.45pm 7.45pm 4pm
Mon 19 CanStage 7.45pm
Tue 20
Hole
CanStage
Hole
CanStage
Thur 22
Hole
CanStage
Fri 23
Hole
CanStage
Sat 24
Hole
7.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm 7.45pm
Wed 21
Sun 25 For page contents see inside front cover