Controversial all-Female circus act challenges body image and confronts stereotypes at the National Theatre's Watch This Space Festival, London
Controversial circus act come to National Theatre, London. UK's leading all female contemporary circus company challenge body image in a unique way.
- (1888PressRelease) July 22, 2010 - Mimbre, the UK's leading all-female contemporary circus company, are performing a series of shows and workshops that confront stereotypes of physical appearance, disability and the female form at the National Theatre, London, 21-25 July.
The company's principle performers, Silvia Fratelli, Lina Johansson and Emma Norin, draw on 11 years experience to fuse world class acrobatics with theatre and dance.
They will be joined by ten associate female performers, many of whom have overcome injury and physical obstacles to their performance. The performers, acrobats and dancers, use circus as their unique physical language to share their stories of overcoming physical boundaries to create imagery and performance that celebrates their bodies and their strengths.
Lina Johansson said: "Mimbre's philosophy has always been to find creative ways around injuries and physical constraints, as well as refuting the artificial boundaries which are imposed on women's body and what they're told they can and can't do. Through presenting strong and positive image of women's physicality we want to reclaim the skewed image presented in adverts and media of what is 'feminine' and 'female', confronting the stereotypes so often presented."
The group will lead free workshops with the public as well as staging a series of new scratch pieces, inspired by questions around body, identity and fragility.
These new pieces will feature in an end-of-week group scratch performance called Falling Upwards (July 23 and 24).
Fratelli said: "In circus the line between disability and ability often disappear. Everything is impossible to start with, and it is only through dedication, determination and passion a trick can be achieved - whatever your body type or ability is. The unusual is what's interesting and your creative approach is as important as the physical feats presented."
mimbre will also perform two of their shows: Sprung, an outdoor performance featuring a fusion of acrobatics and music, which will be performed for the last time this week, and Until Now, the group's most recent work which is inspired by journeys and the difficulty of saying goodbye.
"It feels like we are completing a circle as we perform sprung for the last time in the Theatre Square at Watch This Space. Sprung was the first show we ever performed there and in many ways it feels like coming home" added Fratelli.
Angus MacKechnie, producer of Watch This Space said: "After a week of development work at the National Theatre Studio, we are looking forward to mimbre's return to the Watch This Space Festival to perform some favourites from their repertoire, develop their new creations and to pass on their skills in participatory workshops. As ever, mimbre's fusion of high-skill acrobatics and imaginative theatre promise us a unique week of inspiring entertainment in Theatre Square."
The public are invited to attend all events for free during mimbre's five day residency at the National Theatre, but should book in advance for workshops as places are strictly limited.
This is the fifth time the National Theatre has invited mimbre to perform in their space.
To book places for mimbre workshops call 020 7452 3445.
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