Working with the Artistic Director of Hocus Pocus Theatre, Lucy Enskat, and local artist Hayley Bird the young people have been exploring Great Yarmouth’s circus and entertainment heritage and using source materials from the Norfolk Records Office combined with local people’s memories to inspire their show. The young people have delved right back to the 1800’s to find out what the town used to be like and discover what weird and wonderful acts and shows came to visit.
“All the research we have done into the circus heritage of the town has really inspired the young people’s imaginations, and they have come up with some fantastically creative ways of presenting what it might have been like to go to the circus hundreds of years ago” says SeaChange Arts Creative Producer, Laurie Miller- Zutshi. “I’ve been so impressed with the way the group have been working together. They only have a short time to devise the piece together and make it into a professional performance. They are a very talented group with a wide range of skills.”
The participants will also get the chance to work with NoFit State Circus, adding exciting and daring aerial, tightrope, acrobatics, acrobalance and many other circus skills to their performance as they reanact some of the death defying performances from the past and take audiences on a journey back in time.
“Everyone is really excited about working with NoFit State Circus and being able to turn our ideas into reality and recreate some of the acts they used to have at the circus” says Madeleine Iliff, one of the participants of the project. “We’ve also learnt a lot about clowning and we will be showcasing our new found skills at the festival.”
Come along to the Out There Festival on Sunday 18th September and meet some of the amazing characters from Great Yarmouth’s past, including the founder of the Hippodrome Circus George Gilbert, the commanding ringmaster Roberto Germains, the outstanding escapologist Alan Allan and the crafty clown Gentleman Jack. You will be truly astounded as you see 166 years of circus heritage come to life!
For further information go to www.seachangearts.org.uk or www.facebook.com/seachangearts1
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