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toby philpott last updated: 22 January, 2007 |
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The Circus has no home There
are magically powerful places on the planet's face, both natural wonders like
waterfalls and mountains, and human-built ones like the Taj Mahal. To enjoy them
we have to make the effort of pilgrimage. One
of the wonders of the circus and the travelling players is that they create
magic in ordinary places. Arriving in a park or field (often by night) the
circus finds its centre, describes a circle around it, and erects a temporary
building to enclose the space. For a short period of time this arena generates
magic with light, music and a combination of human grace, intelligence and
daring. On a more humble scale, the street performer can transform a small area
of mundane city street, asking only for the enclosure of a human circle. Even
if you are not a performer, but merely practice in a park, you create a special
image for people out walking. Juggling is one of the most portable of skills,
and you can play it almost anywhere. Unfortunately. some of the more exciting
skills of the circus require rather elaborate set-ups, and these are not easily
available to the amateur. In England, particularly, there has been a terrible
shortage of facilities. In the last decade a few people have been working to
de-mystify circus skills and make access to the necessary knowledge and
equipment easier. People have become unhappy with the travelling menagerie of
wild animals, but have shown increased interest in New Circus (a circus without
animals). The dedicated enthusiasts have created their own opportunities, but,
with the notable exception of Fool Time (the circus school in Bristol), there
have been no permanent premises. Like the circus of folk legend, workshops
have appeared, tantalised people with a short course or two, then vanished
overnight. Now. in London, we
are making a concerted effort, not only to prove the need for a permanent
training space, but to actually make one available to a wide spectrum of people,
and not just for a limited number of full-time students. This is being attempted
in the face of a general lack of funding, and the expense of premises in the
capital city. The
CIRCUS SPACE is a reclaimed factory building (which has been empty for 12
years!). So far, most of the unpleasant work of clearing out the debris of
neglect and pigeon-occupation has been done by unpaid voluntary workers. Their
reward has been the more enjoyable task of painting and fixing up the building. There
is a possibility that some money will be raised from local government, and more
from membership (annual or daily), fundraising events, hiring out rehearsal
space, etc. One way or another, we intend to have the building open to all for
the duration of a year. In February 1991 we have to give it back, and what will
happen then is not certain. We may, like the circus, pack up and move to another
place, or, like street performers, vanish back into the crowd. Meanwhile,
we are planning a busy year. so if you are in London please do make the journey
to visit us. We are near the centre of town and we will be running a full
schedule of classes, courses and workshops as well as open practice sessions.
The open juggling session will be on Tuesday evenings between 7-10 pm. The
main room is huge and friendly. with wooden beams, and without fluorescent
lighting. It contains a flying trapeze (with safety harness), cloud swing, web
ropes, tight-wire. tumbling mats etc. Downstairs we will have a café and a crèche;
a notice-board for buying and selling props, finding friends, etc. The building
itself will still need volunteer helpers for ongoing improvements and
maintenance... but there are plans for a music studio (with resident musicians),
a dark room for the photographers,
a workshop for making and repairing props, set-building, learning how to
work with ropes, etc. Kaskade © Toby Philpott 1990 |