Mar 5 2009

Circus by Verena Cornwall (East)

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Here are some of the highlights of Verena Cornwall’s talk, if you would like the whole document just click here.

“The trick is to lift the spirits outside the normal realm of things, to free the performers and the audience from the boundaries of their everyday existence and show them something special about their lives” Paul Binder, Big Apple Circus

Circus Overview

  • in most countries across the world there is some level of circus activity, but England is credited with having ‘invented’ circus [in London in 1768]

  • circus takes place in a variety of setting; the streets, a tent, a theatre, corporate gigs in shopping centres or nightclubs, open air within a park, in burlesque shows within Spiegeltents

  • as with many other art forms ( e.g. contemporary dance and ballet) there are two genres to circus – traditional / classical circus and contemporary circus and sub-genres including aerial-dance

    • Circus – An Art Form

  • in 2002 ACE recognised Circus as an art form, and published a Policy for Circus, following a period of research, in the 1980’s and in 2001. Important – need to have spaces for training, formation and put on the agenda. Can respond on licensing reform and how that impacts on work made in public space. Ongoing debate – final hearing in HoC about circus to be removed

  • circus has been located within the ACE Theatre team ever since

  • in October 2006, the European Parliament passed a motion for EU Countries to recognise Circus (with animals) as Culture

  • in 2007 a Worldwide Circus Federation was formed

    • Sequins and Sawdust
    Cirque Bijou
    Tightrope

  • a multi-art form piece currently in development with three partners; Greenwich & Lewisham Young People’s Theatre, THEATRE IS, Cirque Bijou

  • Tightrope is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by the award winning author Gillian Cross. The novel is a “sharply observed thriller”, about Ashley, a young person with a secret

  • central to the story are the circus skills of its young protagonists, Tightrope fully utilises and challenges the traditions of circus and theatre

    • Cirque Bijou
    Project 360

  • a large scale performance production developed in partnership with Bristol City Council as part of Bristol’s first showcase event of urban arts and sports

  • it features extreme sports practitioners, digital artists, parkour exponents and circus artists

  • performed as part of the UK Schools Games in August 2008 in Bristol, and as part of the ‘Find Your Talent’ initiative in Telford

  • outdoor site specific pieces aimed at young people

    • Elemental East Event: 12th December 2008

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