A new brand of circus at The Lowry
Renowned young French-Canadian performers in exciting North West debut
TRACES
Mon 8 – Wed 10 March 2010
Press night, Mon 8 March, 8pm
The amazing Les 7 Doigts de la Main will perform their high-energy urban acrobatics in
their hugely acclaimed production TRACES at The Lowry from 8 - 10 March, following their North West premiere at the Liverpool Empire mid February.
This follows a hugely successful season at London’s Peacock Theatre in Spring 2009, plus an acclaimed appearance at the 2009 Royal Variety Performance.
Performed by five young French-Canadian artists who demonstrate startling acrobatic brilliance, TRACES features dazzling displays of gravity-defying skill. Whether balancing casually on each other’s heads, tumbling through hoops or leaping spectacularly up giant poles without using their hands, the cast of four men and one woman soar through the show.
More than just a series of tricks however, TRACES pioneers a new brand of circus with a striking human element. Set in a makeshift bunker, five characters hide from an impending disaster outside the door. Using creation as their only antidote to the destruction outside, the cast use every mode of expression available to them, hoping to put down a last mark and leave their traces as best they can. Video, narration and music combine to show snippets of the performers’ real lives, gradually drawing the audience into their stories, as seemingly impossible acts take on a startlingly human nature. Set to a pumping soundtrack ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to blues to hip hop, TRACES mixes raw, classic acrobatics with theatre, skateboarding, street and contemporary dance styles.
The company features a hugely accomplished group of five performers whose skills have been perfected in circus schools and companies all over the world.
Les 7 Doigts de la Main was founded in Montreal in 2002 by seven seasoned circus performers with a goal to create circus shows with a strong human element. Traces was created in 2006 and is the company’s second production. It was performed in Melbourne as part of the Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival in summer 2006 and has been nominated for two Drama Desk Awards in New York.
This show needs to be seen to be believed – see the incredible footage by visiting www.thelowry.com/traces and click on the trailer tab.
“So thrilling, it will surely make an entire generation run away and join the circus&rdquo
The Guardian
On a smaller scale in The Lowry studio theatre on March 15 and 16, The Hot Dots by So & So Circus sees a contented juggler discover the perils of ambition set against a backdrop of the 1930s Music Hall.
To coincide with the ascent of contemporary circus on stage, The Lowry has programmed an exhibition of striking circus-inspired photography by critically acclaimed fine-art duo Anderson & Low. Featuring a series of unforgettable images of a circus troupe working on Blackpool Pleasure Beach, shown in stunning detail both in performance and alone amongst the amusement park rides, Circus shows until 11 April.
The Lowry Centre Trust is a not-for-profit charitable organisation and registered charity (no. 1053962). All income supports our world-class Theatres and Galleries programme, the care and display of the LS Lowry Collection and our life-changing Community and Education work. Julia Fawcett, Chief Executive of the visual and performing arts venue, was awarded an OBE for services to the Arts in the Queen’s 2010 New Year Honours list.
Posted on Thursday, 04 February 2010 under Press Theatre Press