250 years ago in 1768, British horseman Philip Astley opened a theatre for horseback trick-riding in South London. The circular arena, 45 feet in diameter, with audience stands around the edge, became a precursor of “modern circus” forms. As part of “Circus 250”, a UK-wide celebration of this event, NOFIT STATE CIRCUS took on a new challenge, giving up the company’s previous “signature”, the freedom for the audience to wander through the performance, and installing a traditional circus ring and spectator stands in its Big Top. In LEXICON (subtitled “The art of misbehaving”), Firenza Guidi and the circus community of around 40 artists and technicians turn to the history, heritage and traditions of circus, with a new focus for their writing and production: how to maintain the special connection with the audience, when they are sitting in stands.
Spectators are plunged into a parallel world where the early history of circus blends with the day-to-day life of a travelling circus troupe, exploring the depths of memory and questioning the ancient and modern language of circus art through movement. LEXICON is a both a performance and a wacky celebration of past, present and future. The new stage design featuring hanging structures, mobiles and objects, video projection and an interplay of light and shade has driven NoFit State to greater feats of invention and imagination. With their technical ability and trenchant humour, driven by a wild energy and a manic attention to rhythm, body language and connection with the audience, the troupe is forced to find new forms and once again breaks down the established order to invent a wonderful organised chaos.
LEXICON will be performed in April in Philip Astley’s hometown of Newcastle-under-Lyme, then in Brighton and Cardiff, before coming to Rennes for a week. Les Tombées de la Nuit are proud to be hosting the first performances anywhere outside the UK, a sign of our long friendship with the Welsh circus artists. You are invited to a magical two-hour maelstrom of high-energy circus acrobatics, in the traditions of NoFit State, a leader in contemporary British and worldwide circus.
BIOGRAPHY
NOFIT STATE CIRCUS has been based in the Welsh capital Cardiff ever since it was established in 1986. It is heavily involved with its local community, running public workshops and training programmes in various circus arts, and has from its earliest days been seen as a pioneering and iconic company in the development of British contemporary circus. Under the leadership of Tom Rack, the group loves large-scale formats and aerial acrobatics. Its work questions the human identity with a blend of live music, theatricality and special effects in gargantuan, anarchic shows that are technically brilliant.
NOFIT STATE CIRCUS has been constantly evolving since “Immortal” (2002), touring the world like a traditional travelling circus, living as a family or “troupe”, with their big top, trucks and full technical support team. After big shows such as “Tabù” (2008), “Labyrinth” (2010), “Bianco” (2013) and “Noodles” (2015), all performed in their iconic silver 550-seater Big Top, NOFIT STATE has now gone back to a traditional set-up, with circus ring and spectator stands, instead of allowing audiences to freely roam through the performance, which remains one of its trademark features. The 2018 European and World Tour of “Lexicon” kicks off at Les Tombées de la Nuit in Rennes, which has previously coproduced and hosted Tabù and Bianco.
NOFIT STATE CIRCUS now has around forty permanent members, representing a dozen different cultures and languages, and has remained faithful to its founding spirit, balancing acrobatically between local cultural projects and large-scale productions with international tours. Their circus is a collective adventure, constantly pushing back the boundaries of genre, writing and weightlessness.
DISTRIBUTION
Director/Creator: Firenza Guidi / Producer and Artistic Director: Tom Rack / Director of Movement: Joe Wilde / Composer: David Murray / Costume Design: Rhiannon Matthews / Rigging Design: Lyndall Murray and Tarn Aitken / Lighting Design: Jean-Marie Prouvèze / Stage Design: Nic Von Der Borch and Mike Alldred / Scenography Design: Saz Moir and Carl Davies / Video Design: Liviu Pasare
Creative Producer: Camille Beaumier / Production Manager: Libby Spencer / Tour Coordinator: Rebecca Davies / Tour Producer: Emma Cameron / Operations Manager: Tim Adam / Tent Master: Hazel Bryan / Sound Design: Andy Whittal / Lighting Manager: Simon Wall / General Technician: Sam Eccles / Cook: Alex Whittal
Circus Artists: Lyndall Merry / Junior Barbosa / Joachim Aussibal / Luke Hallgarten / Luca Morocchi / Mathieu Hedan / Fabian Goulayë / Sam Goodburn / Vilhelmiina Sinervo / Rosa-Maria Autio / Rosa-Marie Schmid / Nicolo Marzoli
Musicians: Connor Pelan / Lisa Savini / Molly Samson / Pauline Frémeau / Blaze Cummings