Wellington Circus Trust Newsletter - February 2007

Circus in Civic Square. “Perilous” - A Summer Circus Festival

Thanks to Jez Weston for the use of the photo

Contents

1. Wellington Circus Trust classes
2. Wellington Circus Trust kicks off 2007
2.1 News from the Trustees
2.2 Tank reviews WCT classes - Thanks Tank!

3. Perilous - A summer circus festival

4. Zirkus - the Carnie Band

5. “The Race Day Ladies” - Boxing Day on stilts!

6. New Circus - New Year 2007
6.1 Gravity and Other Myths in March
6.2 Control is an illusion
6.3 ROARski’s Wonderful World of Carnivalesque!
6.4 The Chit Chat Lounge

Thanks to Lyndon Hood from Scoop for the use of the images

1. Wellington Circus Trust classes

Classes

Check out the classes page for more details… and remember if your payment is on time there is an early bird discount. To receive this you must have paid for your class in full, one week early. Any payments after that incur the full fee.

Don’t forget to practice!!

The practice sessions are still available at Te Whaea in Newtown.

When
Sunday’s 5pm to 7pm.

Cost
$8 per session if you are using WCT equipment (aerials gear, mats)
$6 if you are not using WCT equipment (e.g. stilters)

The practice sessions are supervised by people from the Advanced Aerials Class. If you would like more info on the sessions, please email Andrea on alk2222@yahoo.co.uk.

Who to contact

For new class bookings or enquiries please contact:
info@circus.org.nz

Need a different kinda exercise?

Try these out for size. Contact Clo on clomudrik@hotmail.com.

2. Wellington Circus Trust year starts with a bang!

News from the Trustees

Wellington Circus Trust is now over a year old!!!!

It’s been a busy year and we know that ‘07 going to be bigger and better than last; kick started with the success of “Perilous” - A Summer Circus Festival which was the culmination of a lot of work - especially by Fiona Shaw and Deborah Pope who have made it happen.

I’m sure there is a big thank you list that Fiona has put together but I’d like to acknowledge all the performers because a lot of training goes into those brief performances! More about Perilous later…

On the topic of performance well done to all the performers at the Christmas Party - it was a great show and the acts were great. For all those who were performing for the first time, an extra big congratulations as it is a huge achievement.

We had over 100 people at the Christmas party so it was a big crowd to perform for too. The koha given at the Christmas party just covered the venue hire & venue assistant so it didn’t turn out to be a fund raiser but it was very worthwhile.

I hope that all of those of you who did the intensive course last week had a fantastic time, learnt some new skills and worked off some of that Christmas eating - I imagine your bath tubs will have gotten a workout too - trying to soothe those tired muscles.

This years summer intensive was limited to one class of 15 aerial students this year and we had a waiting list. (Last year we also ran a beginner’s circus class and a teen’s class but we didn’t have the energy for the marketing involved this year and we also have Perilous rehearsals going on this week).

Well, happy flying in 2007!!! Sign up early for the next block of classes!!!!

Thanks to Lyndon Hood from Scoop for the use of the image

Tank reviews WCT classes - Thanks Tank!!

My review of Wellington circus! Also up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/circusnz/

1) WCT - Aerials Training Centre.

Located next to the Wellington Dance School (which is cool, you get to watch the pro dancers doing their thing.)

Big warehouse’y room, with oodles of trapezes, aerial hoop, and silks/ropes hanging. They have doubles, singles, dance traps, and a high one with a safety line. Many are arranged side by side which makes the classes not only productive but also communicative between students.

I was able to be around for several classes here, and each one was AMAZING. Deb Pope offers Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced.

Beginners: Super beginners, first timers.

Intermediate: Skill level was about on par with someone at CircoArts after one year of “intro”, but more challenging and technically proficient. Nicely organized.

Advanced: THIS was the really interesting one, as it was filled with professional aerialists. Really, really, really talented people. It was two hours long, they started with improve choreo on silks and rope, then did static trap (tricks I had never seen), alternating was on the high trap with Deb coaching, then doubles. AMAZING.

Deb offers private lessons, which I tried too. I only had her for 30 mins, but she managed to completely clean up a whole lot of my basic technique. As a result, I feel heaps more confident and safe doing basic moves that I learned years ago. Her teaching style is very addictive - straightforward and competent. It is obvious she loves what she does as well.

Valerie is another teacher, who handles an Aerial Dance class. Her class uses four single-point trapezes, made out of lightweight rope and wooden bars. They are very different.

And so are the skills! I learnt maybe 5 or 6 new things/techniques in her style. VERY different from static. We did a lot of improv, including doubles which involved having a movement “conversation” with your partner. The skill level for this was intermediate, I’d say, since one would need a good strength level to come and try it. It was challenging to be sure, though.

A Circo graduate, Jenny, teaches some more basic classes as well. There are two (I think) aerials companies in the works up there, so there is no shortage of interesting aerials stuff to be involved in. I met two professional aerialists that make a living solely on their performance.

The space and classes were so mind-blowingly fun and efficient, and within an hour of observing a class I had decided I needed to move there to be a part of it! (Which wasn’t able to happen, sadly).

2) Stilt Dance Company.

This one meets in the same space I think, but they specialize in stilt DANCE, and merging stilts with costumes and performance. I have less to say about this because I only have limited info, but it looked like a lot of fun. I think there are some seriously talented stilters up there.

SO!… Conclusion

Wellington is a Godsend to Aerialists/Stiltdancers in New Zealand. GO THERE. really, even if it is only for a few days. I recommend taking a class with Deb, and/or a private. Plus, if you can find the time Valerie’s class is well worth trying a new thing. She is amazingly friendly as well.

I strongly recommend this for ANYone in Circoarts next year that does anything aerial- related. Hope this gives some people a better idea of Wellington stuff… at least the aerials side of it.

Thanks for reading - Tank

3. Perilous - A Summer Circus Festival!

WCT, Awkward Productions and Meridan Energy Summer City programme claimed the first ever Wellington Circus Festival on Sunday the 28 January when “Perilous” exploded onto Civic Square in a cavalcade of colour, candyfloss and kids.

Four months of planning culminated in an event that looks like its now a day to be marked on the calendar… well Red Cross has booked in again for next year anyway!!!

Here’s what scoop had to say: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0701/S00374.htm

And the rest is a big thank you to everyone that helped out on the day or contributed to the event in one way or another…

Special thanks to Martha Savage who willingly arrived (no arms twisted) at 5am to help set up and didn’t bat an eye at several cussings and terse words during stressful times in the morning, which included a hunt for the elusive light switches at Capital E and navigating the lifts to get 10 trestle tables up onto Civic Square.

Also thanks to Dylan Packman and Judy Wan Min Kee for their help packing in and out and for being one of the last ones to leave on Sunday night… Nice work guys and we really couldn’t have done it without you.

Other thanks are to Emi Wicherding and his team who ran the flying trapeze and took technical difficulties in stride; Tom Beauchamp and the Fuse Rig for their efforts on the day including early morning starts and late night pack downs; Alice Capper Starr for running the WCT workshops and bringing that home under budget; Eileen McNaughton for running the WCT stall and fielding panicked phone calls about GST and the budget!!; the volunteers who ran the food, popcorn and candyfloss machines despite a few challenging moments in the wind; the volunteers who stayed in tutu’s all day and made sure the crowds were in the right place, right time and making donations as they went!!!

Thanks also to the performers for their contribution, particularly those that are budding performers and were prepared to take on big crowds and a building northerly; Kristelle, Polly, Victoria and any others I haven’t mentioned.

Finally a HUGE thank you to all the sponsors who gave us donations of various persuasions - without them, there is no starting point. This includes Gibson Security for donating one security person for the day, and special mention, of course to Kristie Sanders and the team at Wellington City Council for their belief in the event and support throughout; fantastic!!!

For all the others listed below, thanks and we look forward to working with you next year! YOU’RE AWESOME.

And finally on a personal note; thanks to Deb Pope for her drive, determination, expertise and guidance over the past few months - Man we did it!!! Cheers Chick

4. Zirkus - the Carnie Band - South Island Tour 2006

Zirkus - the carnivalesque big band of Rosie Langabeer is a band like no other. Formed three years ago from the necessity to properly realise Langabeer’s music, the big band played many gigs around Wellington at Happy, Bodega, Valve, Frank Kitts Park, the City Library, several Jazz Festivals etc.

It soon became obvious that the musicians in the Zirkus Big Band were a special bunch. Not only are they accomplished musicians and improvisers but they also have mischievously audacious natures. As the band evolved, Langabeer’s compositions became a perfect vehicle for the Zirkus musicians to experiment with their own musical clowns.

Zirkus was becoming a real Circus and it was time to take the band out of the bars of Wellington and into a real theatre setting.

Zirkus goes Bizurkus @ Bats Theatre - a show that won the band “best music” in the 2006 Wellington Fringe Festival was the result.

The band was joined by aerialist/stilter Pipi-Ayesha Evans and actor/dancer/clown Rhys Latton from the Ake Ake Theatre Company, and put on a performance of music with circus acts, side shows and cabaret style guest stars.

Eight months later the Zirkus Big Band headed off to play at the Dunedin Fringe Festival, the show had evolved even more and everyone was excited about showing off Zirkus to the South Island.

Early on Sunday morning after a late-night gig at Wellington’s Southern Cross Tavern the already sleep deprived Zirkustra assembled at the ferry terminal.

No-one really felt up to the requisite ferry show that earned the passage (a necessity for the twelve piece two vehicle touring party) but put on a head turning performance anyway, much to the delight and despair of the also sleepy-eyed passengers (un)fortunate enough to have chosen seats in the bar.

That evening was the first real gig of the tour at the luxurious Mussel Inn. An enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the band’s hot and crazy performance and a fun night was had by all with the superb hospitality of hosts Jane and Andrew Dixon.

Not ones for taking it easy the band re-packed the vehicles before dawn and headed off into the sunrise straightish for Dunedin on an epic South Island spanning one day driving marathon.

They arrived comfortably at various billeting destinations before the clock had even begun to strike midnight.

Next morning the band met up with Pipi and Rhys at the Playhouse Theatre for pack in and run through of the main fringe festival show. Opening that night left little time to iron out the creases - fortunately the reviewer was impressed enough by the show to give a good write up in the Otago Daily Times in time for the final two shows.

Now with the show presentable, the Zirkus Band had to make their presence known, so in true fringe festival style they set out on a big loud street parade.

With stilts on Pipi the band formed orderly marching ranks and headed for the octagon with horns blazing.

A fantastic thing to do, lots more turning heads, many attached - via shoulders and arms - to cell phone cameras and suchlike. After a short set performed in the octagon which brought special attention to charity street collectors, the troupe went marching back to the theatre to do the ironing.

As the show gelled over the following nights, the ever growing audience was dazzled by the acrobatics and musicianship of the big band - circus experience. The musicians had already been experimenting with more visual performance aspects as they played: moving around the stage and auditorium, standing, sitting, lying down and malfunctioning robotic marching.

Seeing these moves come together on the big stage under lights brought excitement and laughter to performers and audience alike. It was like seeing the band members’ inner clowns shining out, and they really played up - every night bringing new delights.

With the main shows completed the band took the now polished mix of improvised and composed music to the fringe award party where they also improvised music for the award ceremony. Then headed back north, shedding a few members along the way and playing a fine final show at Christchurch’s Dux-de-Lux.

Zirkus performed in Perilous the summer circus festival in Wellington’s Civic Square on January 28th which consisted of highlights and excerpts from the Dunedin shows. Now it’s onto planning, writing, rehearsing and fundraising for the next tour.

If you would like to hear recordings of the Zirkus Big Band go to: www.myspace.com/zirkusbigband or www.zirkus.co.nz

If you would like to purchase a CD or go on the mailing list to be informed of when Zirkus is playing next please contact: Rosie Langabeer at zirkus@clear.net.nz.

4.3 “The Race Day Ladies” - Boxing Day on stilts

“Ooh darling, just look at that lovely red frock…it’s simply gorgeous! And what about that lass in the luscious hat with all the feathers….”

“Ooh yes, I do love seeing all these young people wearing hats….and the nice young men in their ties, it’s so refined.”

Boxing Day for most people involves lazing around, sleeping off that Christmas Day indulgence, perhaps cranking up the barbie in the late afternoon.

For me it involved dressing up in a lush pink-and-burgundy-flowered frock, donning an enormous hat and clambering onto stilts to flounce around at the Palmerston North races.

Andrea Knox and I were performing for Empress Stiltdance, and it was the first outing for the ‘Race Day Ladies’.

Emily Buttle had, as always, designed costumes of wearable art status, and paid attention to every small detail. There was a special carry-bag to transport the simply enormous hats, and we were able to pull up the detached silky leg-pieces of our costumes and fasten them securely over our strapped-in knees.

Finally it was time to do the first of three ‘walkabout’ sets and we just had to negotiate getting through the crowds to the door -

“You do look divine, love, oooh, watch the ceiling with that hat”, and

“excuse me please sir, we’re just going to courtsey a little and duck gracefully under that doorway…”

Out into the brightening Palmerston North sunshine and burgeoning hordes of racegoers….

As it was the inaugural appearance of the Race Day Ladies, neither of us had been sure what our characters would be like. As soon as we emerged outside, the Race Day Ladies took on a life of their own. They revealed themselves as gregarious middle-aged women, dressed up to the nines and out to mingle with the crowd.

They’d had perhaps just a little too much sparkling wine (the characters of course, not Andrea and I), but only enough to cause the slightest of stumbles and loud remarks. Andrea perfected a realistic slightly-drunken wobble, while I tended to react to her trips rather than trying it myself (there is a fine line between pretending to fall and actually falling, and I didn’t want to test it on that occasion).

Highlights for us included:

• the overwhelming positive response of people in the crowd “oh no, no, YOU are the one who looks lovely darling”
• impromptu dance performances to 3 jazz musicians
• having live coverage of our images projected onto the large screen on the racecourse “ooh look love, we’re on the TV!!” and “oh do turn around sweetie, they’re filming your bottom…”
• the little girl who was so in awe of us that she was rooted to the spot with a giant-sized smile
• being interviewed in front of the crowd in the main stadium and photographed for the Manawatu Evening Standard
• Witnessing the Undie 500 race but acting a little outraged at such a public display of near-nudity.

Being on stilts somehow brings out the best and worst of humanity, though, and there were challenges in negotiating a slightly-drunk-and-getting-drunker crowd. We managed to avoid any simulated violent lurches towards us, and rose graciously above the array of inane comments (”you’re so tall”) that tend to be expressed to stiltwalkers.

But overall, people were unbelievably supportive and complimentary to us. It was a great feeling to have a role in making people smile, laugh, point, or just feel relieved that it wasn’t them tottering around up there on long skinny pegs.

By the time we got to the end of our last walkabout, the Race Day Ladies were getting tired but were flushed and happy from a sociable, successful day out in the sun.

After we de-rigged and were quietly walking back to the van carrying our stilts, the last comment we got was from a teenage boy: “Hey, you guys are just short-arses after all”.

Article by Lou Thornley

6.1 Fringe 07 Circus - Gravity and Other Myths

A spectacular outdoor new circus showcase inspired by the stars!

As the stars appear, for 8 nights Queens Wharf will be home to some of the countries best new circus, performing on a purpose built outdoor circus rig, combined with pyrotechnics, spectacular lighting, sound and AV design.

As well as performances there will also be taster workshops in circus skills. During the days of the show performances, you too can run away with the circus … or at least have a go!!

Wellington Circus Trust will be running introductory circus workshops, so come and play in the sun! For more info check the website in early March.

“A single galaxy has more stars in it than the number of people who have ever lived on earth … our galaxy (the milky way) is just one among countless billions spread throughout the universe.”

“Love is metaphysical gravity.”

If you want to be involved in this new circus spectacle contact Tom Beauchamp on the numbers above, he’ll be looking for volunteers of all types and persuasions so stick up your hand and get on down!

6.2 Control is only an illusion…

ESCAPE

7th - 10th February 2007, 8.00pm

Toi Whakaari Garage Space, 11 Hutcheson Rd, Wellington

Tickets: Fringe Addict $8, Unwaged $10, Waged $12

BOOKINGS: 04 385 4116 or escape@epix.co.nz

CONTROL IS ONLY AN ILLUSION.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mIMEJYsSCs

Based on the famous Greek myth of Medea, by Euripides, ESCAPE is a challenging, visual feast, looking at living with the consequences of our actions.

In Euripides’ play, Medea, a stranger in a foreign land, murders her two sons to avenge an unfaithful husband. ESCAPE, by contrast, looks at her subsequent life, the consequences of her choices and the torture of memory.

ESCAPE, a technical one-woman show, stars Ban Abdul, Chapman Tripp nominee for best female newcomer (2003), well-known from such successful productions as “Disco Pigs”, and award winning “Baghdad Baby” and Weta Workshop’s animation “Jane and the Dragon”. Born in Dubai to Iraqi and Yemeni parents, her ethnicity further opens the debates around being torn between many worlds.

Innovatively edgy, this devised show is the first production to be offered by Tenacity Productions, a new and exciting Wellington theatre company founded by theatre professionals. “We are really interested in breaking down the barriers between actor and audience”, says director Kerina Deas. “We want to break away from the safety of tradition and create a new way of experiencing a show, a way that gives a stronger connection to the piece. We are exploring the idea of guilt and hypocracy and the show strips away some of the comfortable masks we hide behind.”

ESCAPE is a bold and visually breath-taking event that is set to rock the Fringe festival. This is not a show to miss!

For more information please contact Kerina Deas

escape@epix.co.nz | 027 3525 283

6.3 ROAR! Gallery presents

“ROARski’s Wonderful World of Carnivalesque!”

Fringe 2007 15th February - 3rd March 2007. Opens 15th Feb at 5.30pm

This Fringe, it’s not just theatre which is getting all the glory…….ROAR! Gallery has tempted all those shy and retiring artists out of their corners to express their secret love of all things carnival and circus.

Let us set the scene.
It is February 2007 in Wellington. It hasn’t been the best summer and you are wondering if life could possibly be a little more exciting, exotic, and strange. But at ROAR! Gallery, we are challenging the drab everyday squeezy box music floats down the stairs, reminding you of those long nights wandering in the back streets of Paris. You climb the stairs through streamers which hang from the ceiling to enter a world which is old and new, familiar and strange

A cavalcade of artistes!!
Val Sutherland creating papier mache bearded ladies and lizard women, Michele Irving’s Amazing Balancing Dogs, brand new hot off the press prints from the inimitable Sam Broad, Vegas girls from Meta Assink exploring her bedazzling and bemusing trip to Las Vegas, new Daredevil Acrobats from Carmel McSherry, and puppets from the locked and mutating cupboard by Mary Laine!

Come see work made before your very eyes!!!
In the Portal we are proud to present our first artist in residence, Vanessa Crowe. Accomplished in many media including drawing, painting and textile works, Crowe will be building an installation for the three weeks of the show, and will be available for visits during the exhibition.

Come join the circus - for free

6.4 The Chit Chat Lounge

Paramount Theatre, 10pm - 12am

Tues-Sat, 9 February - 3 March 2007

FREE

Wellington’s very own Late Night Talk Show.

Starring charismatic hosts and featuring comedy, circus, film, live music and a string of talented guests, The Chit Chat Lounge is two back to back chat shows free during Fringe 2007.

Based on the traditional chat show format the one show is hosted by international man of mystery Vinyl Burns (Kim Potter), host of Heavenly Burlesque (best of Fringe 06), and the second by comedy duo HotNuts & Popcorn, the thin stage facade for Eric Amber and Derek Flores.

HotNuts & Popcorn are world class improvisers, comedians, indulgent joie de’vivre-ists recently relocated to Wellington from Toronto, Canada. They describe their act as 1 part vaudeville, 1 part rat pack & 3 parts high octane unpredictability.

Located in the (fully stocked) bar of the Paramount Theatre, Fringe artists and other interesting personalities will be invited to appear on the show each night for a short interview or showcase.

The funky format features a 15 minute “monologue” which allows the hosts to develop new material night by night. Other regular features will include pre recorded video segments, live online Trade Me auctions, prizes, audience contests and in-house band.

Late nights in Wellington will never be the same again!