Theatre and Circus headliners revealed

12th April 2011

The phones are red hot and the emails are flying down the wire. The office is starting to buzz with anticipation and all those little pieces of magic that we have poured over and sifted through in the last few months are starting to fit together into a magnificent tapestry of cutting edge performance.

Artists from all four corners of the earth now have those three days in June highlighted in their diaries and what was last weekend, a beautiful Somerset cow farm in spring sunshine will soon host one of the largest gathering of Circus and Theatre performers ever assembled under canvas.

Acts that you’ve heard of, acts you’ll never forget and acts you just won’t believe are possible. Put a date in your diary and come and check out Theatre and Circus – just watch out for the Trolls lurking underneath Bella’s bridge. You hug a troll, you become a troll, just ask Bill Bailey.

Headlining the Circus Field are the UK’s number one touring circus No Fit State Circus, with a brand new show called ‘Barricade’. It’s political, personal and, knowing this bunch, it will challenge your preconceptions of what circus can do.  Look out too for Circolombia who work with the favela kids of Colombia to create mesmerising world-touring performances.

The more nomadic circus folk (over 100 of them) will continue their wanderings through the fields, including the peripatetic Village Disco, Rumple the Kangaroo Fool of Oz during the day and fire-dancer Jay Toor by night. Heads up for The Pirates of the Carabina, they will be swinging in by zip wire from the tent tops and even the most squeamish have no cause for alarm with the astounding aerial show Insect Circus.

Hilarious strip-tease act Naked Lunch will be entertaining the hungry whilst Dirty Fred amuses and abuses from his podium. The Powderpuff Girlz strut their stuff across the Sensation Seekers stage.

Enjoy a non-chemically-induced giggle in the comedy tent with quick-tongued laughs from Shappi Khorsandie, a witty ditty from Mitch Benn and tinkling humour from 4 Poofs and a Piano. And for quick-fire political satire Mark Thomas is on his way from South London.

Haggis McLeod
Theatre & Circus

Selected 2011 Theatre & Circus highlights:
No Fit State Circus / The Powder Puff Girlz / Marcus Brigstocke / Mitch Benn / Circolombia / Kevin Cruise / Mark Thomas / Insect Circus / blackSKYwhite / Steven Frost’s Impro Allstars / Dirty Fred: Circomedia / Murray Lachlan Young / Avanti Display / The Black Eagles / Jonathan Kay / The Dream Engine / Norman Lovett / Area 51 / Babyhead / Sonic Forest / Mimbre / Shappi Khorsandie / Icarus / Movin’ Melvin Brown / Emergency Exit Arts / Phil Kay / Rumple the Kangaroo Fool of OZ / Ojarus / Jeremy Hardy / 1623 Theatre Company / Naked Lunch / Arthur Smith / Jaipur Kawa Brass Band / John Hegley / Shazia Mirza / Rory Motion / The Flamborough Trolls / Twisted Cabaret / Attila The Stockbroker / Aisle16 / Phil Nichol / John Otway / Robin Ince / High Rise Rubber / Simon Munnery /  4 Poofs and a Piano / Herbie Treehead Disaster Band / Haggis and Charlie / much, much more

Photo by Charles Gervais