Secret Circus

One of the events of the summer took place on Sunday. But you probably don't know about it. Because it was a secret.

The idea was perfection, to have a circus in Piccadilly Circus. Not of the Billy Smart's big top variety, but all those trapeze, acrobatic and balancing acts one sees. Grown up circus, albeit accessible to kids too. The area surrounding Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street was cordoned off to traffic for a day, and 11 stages moved in, taking advantage of the built environment to attach high-wires to, or in the case of the balcony on the bridge over Air Street, to use it as a high stage.

It was all a secret because if this much free entertainment was known about the crowds would almost certainly have overwhelmed the place. So it was left to pass on to people by word of mouth (or forwarding of e-mails in this modern age) on a day's notice. And the result was just about right - more people would probably have spoilt it, but there were certainly big enough crowds for the acts to have felt it worth coming from all over the world (Morocco, Canada, Spain, Finland, but overwhelmingly, France). It did feel like a circus version of the festivals I attend. There was the same nice feeling of just wandering between the stages and not knowing quite what to see next. And the buzz of a big happy crowd, all pleased just to be there.

Of course it wasn't a secret from the Mayor's office. Boris Johnson duly appeared to give a quick interview to the media.

Anywhere here are a patchwork of photos I took of some acts, only a slice as one couldn't have seen all the 30 odd in the time. But they will just give you a flavour of the endeavour (which was, by the way, the close of the Cultural Olympiad). Regrettably a very grey day (although the rain we have become so accustomed to never got above a little gentle spitting.) I should add there is a bias towards the more photogenic acts. Great speed doesn't work well in low light, nor great distance, so slower moving acts closer to the ground rather dominate!

First up a low high wire act, Les Colporteurs (yes French)

A combined high wire and trapeze couple Cie La Couple (you guessed it French)

A romantic kiss in mid-air. Aaah

Cirk Vost and their spectacular rigging on Waterloo Place. Actually the one catch with this act is there is so much in the way of rigging that it detracts from the performance. But like the Mad Max costumery. And yes, they are French.

Transe Express. Probably the most inspired part of the whole day - street opera - three sopranos on floats/ball gowns wheeled through the streets, a path made for them by drum marchers in equally fantastic uniforms. One of the delights was this was just in amongst us, not on a stage. Sounded terrific too. Just a delight. And yes you guessed it, French. See a theme here?



Rachel Clare, who conceived of the whole shebang, wandering rather pensively in front of one of the opera floats. "What have I done?" She asked me, almost bemused by the event she had created. I reassured her how wonderful it was. But I think she knew that.



The Circus Space. British, and they looked damned good in hula hoops

Not sure who this acrobatic act were, possibly Cie Mauvais Esprits (in which case French!) but I particularly liked the use of a long bendy tube as a sort of boat. Inventive.

This was a neat act, and am sure French too. The guy appears just to be setting up for the act, and even has a fag, and proceeds to do his trapeze act as if he is just having a go, cigarette in mouth throughout.

Possibly my favourite act of all, and I am not sure who they are. (But strong guess they were French.) Starts off with this cheeky chappy  balancing on a board on top of a cylinder, and performing a striptease. The tough bit, as you might imagine, is getting rid of the trousers.

Then an exotic looking couple performing on a trapeze (in the middle of Regent Street)

Then what must be the most languid trapeze artist ever. Just a great image.

Some Chinese pole work. Not easy to make this look exciting, however difficult it may be. (And I guess its pretty difficult.)

Collectif AOC appearing to run up the walls on Regent Street (the trampoline below the picture level helps). Great image though.

Not sure of this act - a combination or trapeze and a hoop. Didn't really impress me.



Some guys will go to any length to look up a girl's skirt.

 Acrojou Circus Theatre. A UK act - a couple in a wheel. You needed to see it.

Can't identify this act, but in  a great setting on the bridge over Air Street

Easily identifiable, Groupe Acrobatic de Tangers from Morocco. A combination of music and a series of feats of strength. Some frantic mopping up from some very light rain before hand. You don't want a slippery surface if you are building a three storey human pyramid.

 Another act I can't identify, but essentially four incredibly fit and strong individuals performing a balancing act, although they do look like an underwear commercial here

 Back to CirkVost (the various acts played more than once). Difficult to capture this act on camera as the real trapeze work just comes out as a blur at this distance and in low light.

And then the finale by Les Studios de Cirque (would you be surprised if I said from France?) This was all about spectacle. A truly wonderful experience to cap the whole event. A series of "angels" flew around on zip wires, opening various containers to release ever more feathers. Then a a huge inflatable cherub began to float around Piccadilly Circus, as more and more feathers appear from every direction. If you ever wanted to know what a ton of feathers looks like, well it looks like this. Piccadilly Circus is usually such a dull place - essentially a traffic island with a statue of Eros. But tonight it was transformed into something quite magical. I also liked the juxtaposition, or rather harmony, of mythologies, Greek and Christian, with Eros and the angels. Glad I didn't miss this event. Just sorry that almost everyone else did. Hard luck folks.