M MIME FESTIVAL MIME CLOWN VISUAL THEATRE MAKING THEATRE MAGICAL BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY WHAT’S ON LONDON 10-25 JANUARY 2004 www. mimefest.co.uk Welcome to the 26th London AKHE 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, THEATRE 2.0 Patter, Ridiculusmus, Told by an Idiot CONTENTS SHOWS FOR FAMILIES 11 A2 CanStage, Chipolatas, Compagnie 111, Pep Bou 7 Akhe SHOWS WITH CIRCUS SKILLS 18 Black Hole 20 Blind Summit Chipolatas, Compagnie 111, Fabrik, Gandini Juggling 26-27 Booking Information SHOWS WITH PUPPETRY/ANIMATION 28 Calendar Black Hole, Blind Summit, FOR DETAILS OF 4-5 CanStage Compagnie 111, Joan Baixas, 19 Chipolatas DISABLED ACCESS Pep Bou, Theatre 2.0 14-15 Compagnie 111 PLEASE CONTACT 6 Fabrik SHOWS FOR PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT THE VENUES 9 Gandini Juggling CanStage , Joan Baixas (signed perf Sun 18), 21 Gecko Pep Bou, Black Hole, Compagnie 111, SEE PAGES 12-13 Joan Baixas Paolo Nani + Kristjan Ingimarsson, 25 Max Wall Society Told by an Idiot (signed perf Sun 25) 26 + 27 8 Paolo Nani/ Kristjan Ingimarsson SHOWS FOR AGES 15+ 20 Patter A2 , Akhe, Told by an Idiot A LARGE TEXT 10 Pep Bou VERSION OF THIS WORKSHOPS AND TALKS 21 Ridiculusmus See pages 24 + 25 BROCHURE IS 16-17 Theatre 2.0 AVAILABLE AT 22 Told by an Idiot MEET THE ARTISTS AFTER THE SHOW 23 Winter Clown School Fabrik, A2, Akhe, Joan Baixas, Compagnie 111, MIMEFEST.CO.UK 24-25 Workshops COMPAGNIE 111 Told by an Idiot The London International Mime Festival gratefully acknowledges financial support from: The Barbican Arts Council England; Association Française d’Action Artistique/Ministère des Affaires Etrangères; is owned, Canada Council; Canadian High Commission; CoPEC (Culture from Catalonia); The Department of funded and Canadian Heritage, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada); French managed by the Embassy, Institut français du Royaume Uni; Goethe-Institut; Royal Danish Embassy; Corporation of SBC (registered charity). London. With special thanks to the Citadines Hotel group page 4 page 5 CANADA CANADA The Canadian Stage Company Can clothes change your life? A CanStage Production Find out in this intricate, stylised and beautifully choreographed comedy of splendour and madness set Created by Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling in 19th century Russia. Based on Nikolai Gogol's classic short stories The Overcoat and Diary of a Madman, and Produced by CanStage, The Bushnell set to the sweeping music of Shostakovich, this multiple Center for the Performing Arts and Glynis Henderson Productions award winning production tells the tale of an ordinary office worker whose life is transformed when he Presented in association with BITE:04 acquires a fabulous new overcoat. With its dynamic mix 'Dazzling, hilarious, enchanting, of music and thrilling physical theatre, this play without beautiful and haunting...It will words evokes Keaton, Chaplin and the masters of silent make you laugh and send shivers film. Each element of the show - 22 strong cast, down your spine. In a word, spectacular set design, haunting lighting and striking spectacular'. THE GLOBE AND MAIL period costumes - combines to create a magical world. '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 photo © David Cooper 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) BITE:04 and LIMF gratefully acknowledge the support of the Canadian High Commission and the Canada Council LBC 97.3FM is the official media partner of The Overcoat 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 page 6 page 7 RUSSIA GERMANY Exploiting limitations of space, Pandora Cult icons in Moscow and 88 is a lyrical performance by Fabrik St. Petersburg's independent arts that blurs division between dance and scenes, the work of Russia's Akhe theatre. A 'box' barely the size of a small group owes as much to the visual arts lift encapsulates the shared experiences and cinema as to any kind of theatre. and life paths of the two performers. It is Like all its shows, the surreal and their playground, home, prison, their darkly comic White Cabin is filled source of light, sound and memories. with countless absurd, inspired, bizarre and often touching 'events'. Inspired by Brian Keenan's Beirut hostage memoirs, An Evil Cradling, and The result is dream theatre of chaos, a crazy Stanley Kubrick's film, 2001: A Space variety show of fantastic images and endlessly Odyssey, Wolfgang Hoffmann and Sven changing stage pictures. Winner of Russia's Till have created one of the recent Golden Mask Award and now in demand at Edinburgh Fringe's most talked about festivals all over Europe, Akhe has also shows, winning five star reviews and collaborated on projects with well-known fellow Scotsman Fringe First, Herald Angel and Russian artists, Slava Polunin and Derevo. Total Theatre awards. The director is Britain's Andrew Dawson, co-creator of 'There is theatrical magic in this beguiling display of visual imagination’. long-running stage hits, Thunderbirds THE INDEPENDENT FAB and Space Panorama. 'Dizzying, dark and immensely satisfying'. 'Not to be missed'. THE GUARDIAN THE TIMES 'Hysterically funny 'Extraordinarily inventive dance theatre... and increasingly one of the most captivating shows in disquieting'. Edinburgh. Shattering.' SUNDAY HERALD THE GUARDIAN 'Simply unforgettable.' THE SCOTSMAN PURCELL ROOM WED 14 – SUN 18 JAN WED - SAT 8PM, SUN 6PM PURCELL ROOM SAT 10 – MON 12 JAN SAT, MON 8PM, SUN 6PM RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION THUR 15 JAN RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL AFTER SHOW DISCUSSION SUN 11 JAN TICKETS 020 7960 4242 £12.50 (£9 CONCS) TICKETS 020 7960 4242 £12.50 (£9 CONCS) Photo © Poehlein Photo © Stefan Gloede Presented in association with SBC Presented in association with SBC Supported by the Goethe-Institut www.fabrikpotsdam.de page 8 page 9 UK DENMARK 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 In 70 minutes of wordless hilarity, and tenderness, The Art of Dying explores the big Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala put a mirror to their work/life taboo issue we all have to face but want to ignore. Paolo Nani and Kristjan relationship, as lovers and juggling partners. 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 Quartet, an unashamed celebration of group juggling features Iñaki instructions? How to die politely, without making a mess? And does it really have to be Fernandez Sastre, Sean Gandini, Manu Laude and Kati Ylä-Hokkala. in the middle of a successful tour? With nothing to lose, it's time to enjoy the 'now' as The Gandini quartet is a tightly knit precision machine, weaving never before. But in the fantastic mystery of Life Before Death, nothing is quite complex patterns with balls, clubs and rings – 30 minutes of joyous straightforward.. virtuosity set to the music of Vivaldi. Italian born Paolo Nani scored a hit at the festival with his previous show, The Letter, winner of the 1992 'Somewhere between juggling and dance, this beautifully performed European Comedy Award and performed more than 600 piece is light but resonant with a times all over Europe. This new production with simple emotional pull and a Kristjan Ingimarsson seems set for similar success. lovely understated maturity.' THE TIMES 'Great comic theatre about ‘Breathtaking choreography... funny man and his fragility - and aesthetically delightful. The you might just die laughing'. audience, myself included, were rapt!’ L'ECO DI BERGAMO. ITALY BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE '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 Croydon Clocktower Fri 16 Jan PURCELL ROOM WED 21 – THUR 22 JAN 8PM PURCELL ROOM MON 19 – TUE 20 JAN 8PM 020 8253 1030 RUNS APPROX 60 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL WORKSHOP: SEE PAGES 24 & 25 RUNS APPROX 70 MINS WITHOUT INTERVAL Newbury Corn TICKETS 020 7960 4242 £12.50 (£9 CONCS) TICKETS 020 7960 4242 £12.50 (£9 CONCS) Exchange Sat 17 Jan Presented in association with SBC 01635 522 733 Quartet was partly funded by a Science and Art Award from the Wellcome Trust Photo © Hugo Glendinning page 10 page 11 UK SPAIN 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…. In one of the most extraordinary creations imaginable, Catalan theatre magician Pep An emotionally provocative investigation Bou conjures a seductive planetarium of brilliant colour, airiness and light. Infused about human relationships and the with the alchemy and off-beat humour of an exotic Mediterranean tradition of visual games we play, the personalities we are theatre, Bufaplanetes explores a secret universe and its mysteries, great and small.