July is just bursting at the seams with circus based entertainments for y’all. Here’s the run-down…
Lento by Cie Nuua IMAGE: Raica Quilici
The City Of London Festival gets into its stride this July, with pop-up venue The Bowler Hat presenting a range of international and homegrown contemporary circus, starting with the beautiful and original Lento from Cie Nuua (1-2nd). Silver Lining return to the capital with their show of the same name from 4-5th, while from 7-8th you can see Ella Robson-Guilfoyle‘s Echoes, which also appeared at this year’s CircusFest. The company numbers last year’s Circus Maximus winners, Louis Gift and Beren D’Amico, among its performers, and this month also sees the competition move into its second year with heats at the Udderbelly from 8-11th and the grand final on 12th.
The Bowler Hat programme continues with Keziah Serreau‘s Strike! (9-10th), Rhythm Town from Juggling on Tap (11th-12th), and Flown by Pirates of the Carabina (15-17th). The festival has also programmed free street performances, where you can catch Mimbre Acrobats (3rd), Acro-Chaps (9th), Acrojou‘s unique German wheel theatre (11+15th) and Stefano di Renzo‘s equilibristics (16-17th).
As well as the Circus Maximus competition, London Wonderground’s offerings also include the continued LIMBO run (until 17th Aug), and this years’ Graduate Show Hop, from the National Centre For Circus Arts (14-16th). Elsewhere in the Big Smoke, the new Circus Of Men launches on 3rd at the Hippodrome, and Cirque Bijou head up from the West Country for residencies and new free show Source, starting in Millfield Arts Centre (show date 26th). The London International Youth Circus Festival takes place from 5-13th with performances at a number of venues, bringing young artists from around the UK and Ireland together with those of Finland, Estonia, Germany and the USA in cultural and artistic exchange, supported by organisations that include the National Theatre’s Watch This Space festival (which provides open air performances around London every weekend this month). Finally, if all this weather is too much for you and you want to head underground, then The Vaults present Tangerino‘s The Red Shoes from 22-24th.
Heading out of the city, Bristol Harbour Festival (18-20th) has a circus and street arts programme co-ordinated by Cirque Bijou, and Australian acrobatic dream-team Casus have their final UK dates of the year at Milton Keynes International Arts Festival from 18-21st with Knee Deep.
Amongst the tenting troupes, Billi Smiles are appearing within the M25 from 1-6th and, as many don’t publicise their dates until a week before the show, it’s always worth checking back on this list.
Even Camp Bestival (31st-3rd Aug) has a circus theme this summer, so there’s plenty of opportunities for everyone to get in on the action. Do feel free to add your own listings in the comments below and share the love.
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