Zircus Plus at the Lakes Alive arts festival in Cumbria

15 July, 2011

July 15-17

NoFit State Circus

An incredible weekend of circus acts and pyrotechnics is underway at Lakes Alive’s Zircus Plus festival.

At times it’s hard to get your head around what a fantastic series of events this is, as the organisers keep wheeling out a host of the most amazing street acts and entertainers.This year’s Zircus Plus also includes an art exhibition Brief Permanence at Art Gene.

Curated by Irina Stark, it is a mixed-media exhibition exploring the meaning and contradictions of circus through the works of three British artists.

Last night a spectacular open air show from one of the UK‘s leading performance groups, NoFit State Circus, top, lit up the sky above Cumbria.

The award-winning act unveiled its new work Barricade in Barrow for a night of highly-skilled aerial acrobatics, physical drama and breathtaking pyrotechnics. Starting at 9pm, the free Big Friday Night saw Barrow Park transformed into a beautiful aerial playground complete with an iconic set designed by Dan Potra who helped to produce the Delhi Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

Circus imagery, acrobatic skills, and inspiring music created by the Immortal Orchestra produced an astounding show that pushed the boundaries of contemporary circus to its limits. Pre-entertainment included the Barracudas, Barrow Carnival Bands and the UK‘s leading trick cyclist Paddy Waters. The event climaxed with a dramatic firework display from pa-Boom.

Zircus Plus is part of Lakes Alive which is Cumbria’s unique contribution to the legacy Trust UK programme, which was set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Julie Tait, the director of Kendal Arts International which creates Lakes Alive with Manchester International Arts, says: “NoFit State Circus is leading the renaissance of contemporary circus and this is set to be one of the pivotal performances of the Lakes Alive 2011 season.

“Their shows always have a touch of adventure and spontaneity about them which is really exciting. Barricade will amaze, enchant and thrill audiences of all ages.” Another key performance to look forward to at this year’s Zircus Plus comes from Italian Compagnie Piano C who will bring a touch of magic to Barrow with their award-winning show Senza Che.

Taking nothing more than a few simple items including a bin and a cardboard box, the performers conjure up a bitter sweet show that elevates rubbish to an art form. Using humour, poetry and drama, the group inspires audiences to think about issues such as homelessness, freedom and wealth. The show collected first prize at the Cantieri di Strada 2010, an Italian accolade awarded to the country’s best street performers. Heartland features aerial performers swooping through the sky entwined in swathes of fabric. Inspired by the legend of Minotaur, this new piece of work fuses music, dance and storytelling in thrilling style.

For the first time there will also be a series of performances in The Forum in Barrow. Aimed at adults and older children aged eight or above, the two shows promise bags of laughs and surprises. From PanGottic Circus Theatre comes Full Twist, an upbeat silent comedy about falling in love. This award-winning show blends physical theatre, clowning, masks and contemporary theatre to create incredible drama without using a single word. Also making their debut at The Forum is French team DeFracto who will present their hilarious show Circuits-Fermes.One of the winners of the 2009/10 Jeune Talents Cirque project which singles out the best new emerging talent in circus, DeFracto have created a heart-warming show about two men, a large wooden board and innumerable white juggling balls.

It’s an extremely funny and highly skilled show that has captivated audiences across Europe and will make its UK premiere at Zircus Plus. The shows will run Saturday 16 July at 7.30pm. Tickets for the double bill cost 6 (full price), 4 (concession) and a friends and family ticket for 5 people is 20. Tickets are available now from The Forum.

On the Saturday and Sunday the hub of the festival takes place in Barrow Park where there’ll be thrills and skills galore as 15 companies from across the world excite and delight you with a mix of antics and acrobatics. From Germany comes Aristokraten – an animation show that combines acrobatics, music and satire in one heady mix.

Laughs aplenty will also be provided by George Orange an eccentric clown and slack-rope dancer from Chicago. His Man on the Moon show takes children and adults on an amazing trip to the moon and back. Bicycle Ballet will dazzle audiences with an outdoor dance show performed on bikes. Starring trick cycling specialist Paddy Waters, this new piece of work uses dance, circus and physical theatre to look at differing male and female approaches to their bikes. It all adds up to a fun and frenetic performance that will leave audiences shaken and stirred.

Look out too for The Tiny Travelling Tightwire Show as it rolls into town. Much audience involvement is needed in this show to encourage the nervous Poppet take to the tightwire and save the day. And beware of the Circo Rum Ba Ba Pirates who will be cruising in a boat plundering and looting along the way.

Away from Barrow Park, Zircus Plus will be invading Dalton Road on Saturday with a selection of great street acts to entertain shoppers. All of the outdoor shows are free and suitable for all the family.

Lakes Alive is one of three annual programmes commissioned for WE PLAY, the Northwest cultural legacy programme for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

WE PLAY is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympic Games. The project is led by the Arts Council England Northwest on behalf of a new regional partnership.

Lakes Alive is sponsored by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and has also received funding from Arts Council England and the Northern Rock Foundation.

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