About Us
Whirligig Festival of Outdoor Arts, Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 September 2024
The Italian Gardens, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1AJ
‘Whirligig’, Weston-super-Mare’s award-winning festival of international outdoor arts, returns with a continental flourish to the Italian Gardens on 7 and 8 September.
A two-day, free family programme of amazing circus and outdoor arts shows from UK and Europe will fill the Italian Gardens. An eclectic mix of acts and high-octane performances, topped up with a vibrant, seaside energy is set to enthral audiences from near and far.
Whirligig Festival, presented by Super Culture, takes place each day from midday to 6pm. For the full programme line-up and access information, visit https://superculture.org.uk/listings/whirligig24/ and follow @SuperCultureWsM for the latest updates.
Gorilla Circus’s mesmeric new aerial show ‘RPM’ combines exhilarating acrobatics, adrenaline-pumping street dance and breath-taking roller skating, set on a giant moving treadmill, while Head Over Wheels, a disabled and non-disabled multi-disciplinary company, take audiences on a journey into the world of flying wheelchairs in the groundbreaking debut, ‘Anchored in Air’.
Breaking free on the ground are Sonia Sabri Company’s ‘Mughal Miniatures: The Awakening’, living pictures that draw inspiration from the exquisite traditional art of Indian and Persian miniature painting. Watch as the Mughal Empire royal court attendants escape their restrictive frames in this empowering voyage of discovery complete with South Asian dancing and original soundtrack.
There’s juggling with a difference at this year’s festival as Bristol’s Matt Pang and Owen Reynolds ditch the balls in favour of glass and a ton of bricks in their show ‘Those in Glass Houses’. Different thrills are on offer from Ukrainian juggler extraordinaire Alexander Koblikov, who has hit a Guinness World Record for juggling 14 balls, and here graces the Italian Gardens with his jaw-dropping artform as part of La Compagnie Zalatai’s ‘Bal (les)’.
Dynamic dance is also on display during the festival. Flamenco is given a non-traditional twist by Noemi Pareja, one half of the multi-talented Spanish duo Zen del Sur, and the first female guitarist to have performed at the milestone International Guitar Festival Paco De Lucia. Be seduced by her incredible guitar work, interspersed with the flamenco, acrobatics and Cyr Wheel skills of her partner Carlos Lopez in their show ‘Orbita’.
Powerful solo contemporary dance performance ‘Inscribed in “Me”’ by Alethia Antonia leaves audiences moved and wanting to know more in an exploration of the boundaries of feminine blackness. ‘EsFeRa’ by Pauline Zoe unites dance, juggling, hula hoop, roda cyr and acobatics creating extraordinary choreographies featuring many circles of all sizes.
Fall head over heels for ‘The Gardeners’ with their pret a porter terrariums and thought-provoking environmental message in ‘AWOL’. Look up and spot a selection of hair pieces and hats worthy of Ascot, created by local residents as part of ‘The Band’ by Levantes Dance Theatre, touring the South West this Autumn as part of Circus Around And About 2.
Family fun and slapstick abound in ‘Wire Attire’, a street theatre unicycle, comedy and biscuit show from multi-award winning circus performer Sam Goodburn. Contagious laughter is guaranteed in ‘Out of the Box’ by international performer Darryl J Carrington, a Mr Bean with tricks, featuring world-class comedy and a
show-stopping finale starring a toothbrush.
Back by popular demand is Matthew Harrison’s ‘The Actual Reality Arcade’, a
life-sized interactive zone for all ages, inspired by classic arcade games where you play for real and Thingumajig Theatre return to Whirligig with ‘A La Puppet Carte’, a magical walkabout puppet show full of surprises.
Weston-based Tiny Circus will be making circus skills accessible to everyone with have-a-go family sessions throughout the day, Community Scrapstore North Somerset invites people to transform scrap in upcycling crafts activities and join in the North Somerset Samba procession on Saturday from 11.30am as they musically make their way along the High Street to the Italian Gardens.
A new environmental area will explore connections with the natural world, with Grow Feral’s micro-garden in the Italian Gardens transformed into a nature camp. Come along and help to decorate the camp as it evolves over the weekend – get involved in building natural shelters and take part in green crafting and bushcraft activities including natural twine making, leaf mobiles and seed head bunting.
The festival is a green event that reflects Super Culture’s environmental ethos to produce work and create experiences that are as sustainable as possible, supporting and enhancing local communities. Local food and drink will also be on sale.
Weekend timetable
12:00pm
Levantes Dance Theatre/Sonia Sabri Company
12:20pm
Head over Wheels/Sam Goodburn
1:00pm
Gorilla Circus/La Compagnie Zalatai
1:30pm
Sonia Sabri Company
1:45pm
Matt Pang & Owen Reynolds/Alethia Antonia
2:05pm
Pauline Zoé
2:35pm
Zen Del Sur/Darryl J Carrington
3:00pm
Levantes Dance Theatre/Sonia Sabri Company
3:20pm
Head over Wheels/Sam Goodburn
4:00pm
Gorilla Circus/La Compagnie Zalatai
4:30pm
Sonia Sabri Company
4:45pm
Darryl J Carrington/Alethia Antonia
5:05pm
Zen Del Sur/Pauline Zoé
All events are FREE and donations for future Whirligig! festival are welcome
The Acts - in order of appearance
Levantes Dance Theatre – THE BAND
Levantes Dance Theatre’s show The Band is a quirky, humorous display of desperate ambition and blind affection told through awe-inspiring dance, theatre and contemporary circus. This show incorporates striking aesthetics and a rousing soundtrack, suitable for all the family.
Levantes Dance Theatre is an award-winning performance company that has a constant enthusiasm for fusing artistic disciplines and indulging in vibrant aesthetics. Their performances for theatres, festivals and events are bold, bright, beautiful, inclusive and exploratory. Their original style focuses on striking visuals, engaging characters and athletic movement.
“Theatrical close up magic” British Theatre Guide
“Stunning movement and aerial acrobatics” Everything Theatre
There will be opportunities for workshops and to get involved in the show. The Band tours the south west this autumn as part of Circus Around And About 2, funded by an Arts Council England Lottery Project Grant, and led by Take Art with principal partners Crying Out Loud and Extraordinary Bodies.
Sonia Sabri Company – MUGHAL MINIATURES – THE AWAKENING
A vibrant outdoor performance for all the family, which celebrates and takes inspiration from the exquisite traditional art of Indian and Persian miniature painting. Performers in sumptuous costumes create a captivating living-picture, transporting you back in time to the richness of the Mughal Empire with a surprising contemporary twist.
Mughal Miniatures: The Awakening is a funny, joyful, and empowering journey of discovery complete with incredible dancing and a brilliant original soundtrack. Join us at the royal court to meet the feisty queen and her attendants but everything is not as it seems; our well-behaved characters have grown tired of their restrictive frames. Watch as they break free and work out where they truly belong!
The Awakening was created in the summer of 2022 as a commission for Birmingham 2022 Festival, part of the Commonwealth Games.
Head Over Wheels – ANCHORED IN AIR
Head Over Wheels
Anchored In Air is a groundbreaking aerial theatre show brought to you by Head Over Wheels, a disabled & non-disabled aerial company, pushing the boundaries of Circus.
This debut show is a mesmerizing fusion of circus, dance, text and live music, taking audiences on a thrilling journey into the world of flying wheelchairs, integrated audio description, gravity-defying acrobatics, and the captivating challenge of navigating a colossal tower.
The trio grapple with themes of identity and our perceptions of ourselves within the structures and confinements of society. Watch them clamber and tumble, as they navigate the ever changing and difficult world we live in.
Sam Goodburn – WIRE ATTIRE
A street theatre unicycle, comedy and biscuit show from multi-award winning circus performer Sam Goodburn. The show is a compilation of Sam’s most successful acts featured in cabarets, circuses and street festivals around the world, performed most recently in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Switzerland. Suitable for all ages.
Gorilla Cir
A mesmeric new show combining exhilarating acrobatics, adrenaline-pumping street dance and breath-taking rollerskating set on a giant moving treadmill! RPM explores the tragic, comic and absurd aspects of modern society – whilst asking the question: Has this country ever confronted its colonial past?
Gorilla Circus is a contemporary circus company specialising in imaginative, sophisticated high-octane works with strong narratives surrounding global issues.
La Compagnie Zalataï
La Compagnie Zalataï brings together an acrobat and a juggler, two characters that play and connect through language. Set to music Bal(les) is a poetic and moving show that joins us from France
Matt Pang and Owen Reynolds – THOSE IN GLASS HOUSES
Matt Pang and Owen Reynolds
A riotous adventure of controlled destruction featuring swinging bricks, comedy catapults and glass-shattering domino runs.
Those in Glass Houses is a celebration of glass and all its fragilities.
Two of the most trustworthy jugglers in the UK take on a giant pendulum and a ton of bricks. With the assurance of protective eyewear, glass is safe in their hands.
For over two decades, Matt and Owen have delighted audiences throughout Europe with their imaginative and often riotous exploits in the world of circus. They have juggled everything from apples and crockery to fish and now, glass. In addition to their on-stage expertise, Matt and Owen have taught in circus schools and led numerous community and school projects, passionately nurturing creativity and skill development.
“Awe-inspiring and outlandish entertainment” WHAT’S ON STAGE ****
Those in Glass Houses is part of Circus Around and About 2, a south-west touring project, funded by an Arts Council England Lottery Project Grant, and led by Take Art with principal partners Crying Out Loud and Extraordinary Bodies.
Alethia Antonia – INSCRIBED IN “ME”
Inscribed in “Me” is a solo contemporary dance performance with a distinct physical prowess, powerful vocals, and captivating music that explores both personal and historical experiences related to the boundaries of feminine blackness. It is a journey of self-discovery, authorship and healing in the midst of adversity; a pursuit that leaves audiences moved, impacted, and wanting to know more.
Pauline Zoé – ESFERA
Pauline Zoé
EsFeRa unites dance, juggling, hula hoop, roda cyr and acrobatics, creating poetic and elaborate choreographies. In this very exciting show, the public are transported to another state of sensitivity.
Within an emotional and contemporary environment of many circles of all sizes, Pauline Zoé creates fluid movements and geometric figures, each with its own meaning.
Zen del Sur – ORBITA
Zen del Sur
Marvel at the trajectory of a physical object as it moves around another, guided by the influence of a central force in Orbita.
This phenomenon represents the relationship that is established between Carlos López and Noemí Pareja, two multi-talented artists who interact through different contemporary styles of movement, circus elements and live music under the gravitational attraction of their roots: Andalucía and Flamenco art.
Zen del Sur are internationally known for their study of how dance, circus and live music connects, resulting in performances that show off their skilled physical control. Displaying a unique artistic dialogue between movement and sound, the pair strike up an emotional empathy with their audiences.
Darryl J Carrington – OUT OF THE BOX
Darryl J Carrington
Think Mr Bean with tricks. A family friendly comedy where juggling, clowning & audience participation join in celebration of art & imagination. Out of the Box is a family friendly comedy show featuring world-class juggling, contagious laughs, and a show-stopping finale starring a toothbrush.
Performed and directed by award winning, international performer Darryl J Carrington.
Without a single word spoken, everyone is invited into a world where clowning, puppetry, magic and everyday objects are juggled in a celebration of art and imagination. Laughter knows no age, and adults rediscover their silliness as they join the adventure. A real life Pixar movie.
“I never thought I’d be able to juggle, he made me feel like the star of the show!” Reluctant dad, Bestival Festival
Matthew Harrison – THE ACTUAL REALITY ARCADE
Colour Rebel Stilt-walkers playing The Actual Reality Arcade. Credit Paul Blakemore
The Actual Reality Arcade is a life-sized interactive zone inspired by classic arcade games where you play for real.
A highly engaging mix of fun, laughter and physical play. The Actual Reality Arcade brings back nostalgic memories and creates many opportunities for new happy ones.
It has proved hugely popular with players and audiences of all ages and has brought joy and happiness wherever it has been.
The Actual Reality Arcade was designed and created by Matthew Harrison and commissioned by Without Walls Street Arts Consortium in 2016 and co funded by Out There Festival, Hat Fair, SIRF and Norfolk and Norwich Festival where it premiered in May 2017. Since then, the Arcade has toured over 100 festivals and events across England and Europe, and continues to be a massive hit with people everywhere regardless of age, background or nationality.
WALKABOUTS
Thingumajig Theatre – A LA PUPPET CARTE
Each A La Puppet Carte mobile stage is a puppet show full of surprises, fun and a heart-warming story of friendship and a sense of home. In “The Story of the Scary Noise”, a doting daddy finds the unexpected (and adorable) source of a mysterious sound. In “The Magic Samovar”, a Persian tea urn reveals a compelling puzzle of secrets, objects and characters from Thingumajig Theatre.
The Gardeners – AWOL
These eccentric gardeners have travelled across worlds re-connecting inhabitants with Mother Nature. Carrying on their shoulders miniature ecosystems, their terrarium helmets allow them to breathe clean air.
Understanding the true inter-connection of all life they work to turn the tide of idleness and greed and in restoring nature’s balance The Gardeners encourage your active participation.
Will you greet them and if so, what might you receive?
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Tiny Circus
Tiny Circus is a Weston-based, family run Social Circus Company that focuses on making the circus skills accessible to anyone and everyone. Have a go at a variety of circus skills – this is your opportunity to join in the fun and be a part of the Greatest Show on Earth.
Grow Feral – NATURE CAMP
New this year, is an environmental area exploring connections with the natural world. Grow Feral’s micro-garden in the Italian Gardens will be transformed into a nature camp – come along and help to decorate the camp as it evolves over the weekend. Get involved in building natural shelters and take part in green crafting and bushcraft activities, including natural twine making, leaf mobiles and seed head bunting.
PLUS don’t forget to look up for the head-turning Colour Rebel stiltwalkers as they take walkabout to new heights and join in the North Somerset Samba procession on Saturday from 11:30am as they musically make their way along the High Street to the Italian Gardens.
WITH family-friendly, community activities with Weston-based Tiny Circus, Community Scrapstore North Somerset, and more.
Whirligig is a green event that reflects Super Culture’s environmental ethos to produce work and create experiences that are as sustainable as possible, supporting and enhancing local communities. Local food and drink will also be on sale.
