For the past fifty years circus went through important transformations that changed a structure, look and a reputation of it. The great artistry that the ‘New’ circus reached, influenced theatre related artists and other art disciplines. Aerial acts are common not only for circus; they are also used by physical theatre and all sort of street performances.
The significant difference occurred when an audience became more demanding and the circus needed to face a task. Inevitably the circus started to be a part of a bourgeois culture; it became as exclusive as West End shows. Today only ticket-paying audience have possibility of experiencing high-artistry circus show, whilst street theatre still serves its major role: it is the gateway for people who do not go to theatre; it is an art for all social formation.
However it is not easy to draw a boundary between those two. How would we name two different bodies that share one heart but circulate a different blood?
On the other hand, do we really need to box it up?
Circus is a performance dominated by bodies in action. Aerial acts are created by well trained, muscular gymnasts. They frame visual language of physicality. The language has been used by many directors or choreographers that had not much to do with circus itself, but the aerial action of skilful bodies helped them to branch out and erect new ways in theatre and dance.
Circus is a performance dominated by bodies in action. Aerial acts are created by well trained, muscular gymnasts. They frame visual language of physicality. The language has been used by many directors or choreographers that had not much to do with circus itself, but the aerial action of skilful bodies helped them to branch out and erect new ways in theatre and dance.
In twentieth century circus hit a peak of artistry as an institution and as mastery of bodily gravitation. Aerial tricks combining with a visually stunning set and costume design made it even more stirring.
In this piece of work I am going to write about the new- highly artistic and respectable- form of circus and also how that influenced outdoor performance and how it was used by other art disciplines as a symbol.
I will investigate how close circus is to theatre performance, especially to those performed outside the professional venues.
Until recently I did not see a circus as a manifestation of something sophisticated. Putting it bluntly, the circus did not exist in my consciousness at all. That was an art form I could not understand. I did not know how to name it or where to assign it.
A memory from childhood, or either something I can hardly remember, will explain my ignorance towards the form, as I would have called it at that time: some sort of entertainment.
For purpose of this written piece of work, I decided to do an opinion poll to understand how people view the circus today; how they try to define it and if the difference between the ‘New’ and the ‘Traditional’ is visible to them.
To retrospect in my youth, I would possibly have given very similar answers to most of my respondents.
First of all, I asked people to describe circus in three words. There were many positive answers like: travelling performers, excitement, acrobats, clowns, artists, sand, entertainment, lighting and colourful; on the other hand few had negative attitude: crowd, cruel, boisterous, animal abuse.
The second question was to describe the word ‘clown’. Those answers came along: mysterious, spooky, colourful clothes, red nose, the worst experience ever, comedy, silliness, horror movies, person with mental issues.
The final task was to assign circus to either ‘entertainment’ or ‘performance’. Unfortunately I did not specify the second one as a ‘theatre performance’ so all the answers I received contains the same word: both.
There was not a single indication in among answers that some would see circus as a theatrical show; bear in mind that circus troupes have been performing in world’s famous theatres for more than twenty years.
I went to see the circus as a little girl. I do not remember what the show was all about. All I remember from that day is a tent; little, round tent with plastic seats inside. That was the only time I saw traditional circus in my life. I guess the show did not make a big impression on me, if I could not summon much from that very moment. I always shun the fancy shaped tent because I associated it with an unambitious spectacle.
Many years later, I found myself in ‘Malta’, one of the most important theatre festivals in Poland, (Poznan city). It focuses mostly on outdoor performances that are normally associated with free shows but not Malta. At my tight budget I could not afford many paid shows. Together with my friends we purchased three tickets for the show of Russian Derevo. The theatre company was not known to me at the time but from that point I would remember it for the rest of my life. From that moment Derevo would become an inspiration and motivation for my future decisions, like choosing university course and further decisions regarding my professional career. Next chosen performance left me cold. I could not get why they really wanted to see circus show performed by French company. I was outraged: ‘A circus? That’s for kids! Let’s have a look at the programme once again’. This time, I had lost the battle. The big top and a sea of sun beds inside of it had convinced my friends. “Have you ever watched a show this way”? Honestly? I had probably never seen so many sun beds in one place before. “The show must be spectacular!” they continued.
‘It better be’ I thought.
I was amazed when we entered the big top. There was no ring as I expected. The floor was covered with white beach sand. The sun beds were carefully arranged inside the tent. It looked more or less like this:
The stage was actually above my head. I made myself comfy. ‘Great’ I thought, ‘if the show is boring, I will fall asleep… wait a second… if the show is boring, my friends will be in trouble! I have paid lots of money for THAT!’
After two hours we left the tent. I did not sleep. The show was the very first in my life that made me finally understand circus. I saw a piece of high artistry. It had all that theatre normally contains: an actor (and acrobat), spoken word, clever lighting, incredible music, fabulous costumes, and a surprising set. The dynamic action created tension. Again and again different objects whirled above my head; someone is trying to bend on a trapeze; some dancing on the rope; now the platforms are moving; restless.
The most surprising for me was the music. I can boldly compare the performance to an opera. That particular performance made me change my mind. I have finally realized there is such great type of artistry. I saw how far the contemporary circus is from the classical. I saw how fresh it had become. I see it as an art form that increased the value in.
By the way, my friends could not resist asking my opinion about the show. “There was too much of circus” I replied. I was too proud to admit I liked it; instead I was still moaning about the ticket’s price…
Circus as an inspiration
The origins of the circus date back to Ancient Rome. However, I am not going to talk about the historical beginning of the circus, or about the traditional version. I would like to focus on its contemporary side that scale the heights of this magical type of entertainment and made it respectable to the masses.
Circus started to transform dramatically at the end of twentieth century and it blossomed again in the 1970’s. Advertising played an important role making the business even more attractive to the public. Performances moved to well known theatres venues. The machine was running faster and more institutions started to become involved (e.g. agents, promoters). The more money spent on the production, the bigger income the company had. One of those extremely successful was the Big Apple Circus. The group performed in Lincoln Centre (New York, USA) surrounded by the world’s finest theatre, opera, ballet, and music. For the circus, just being in a respected place like that is already success.
The classical circus was there as a form of entertainment always going its own direction; choosing the path not similar to any others. It was just a circus. It was a white tent; a place where ‘human freaks’ still surprised; where pigs were juggling in front of the audience; the place for all social formations.
Later the tent had changed; the white became blue with stripes painted over it; the circus freak did not make much impression and boundaries between ‘normality’ and ‘freak’ blurred. Then and now the traditional circus seem very ordinary, but for me there was one thing that made it interesting. I was never a fan of classical circus and I never thought about it as important performing art movement. I did not find it funny or entertaining in any case. ‘Behind the scenes’ life was definitely more appealing to me.
Circus was not only the place of entertainment. It was a home for those who dedicated their life in to it. Performers lived in one organized community; they travel around the country together; they were parents, teachers and friends for their kids; they must have trust and help each other whenever needed.
After a show, Mr Clown and Mrs Acrobat could take their colourful clothes off and wash face from heavy make-up. From that point, I believe, they could start their ‘family’ duties. In traditional circus, there are three generation of performers. Older members pass on the skills they had perfected to the younger generation. The things has changed when circus school were opened. “I finally left circus,” Peggy Snider explains (the Pickle Family Circus), “because my kids no longer needed it. Until then I had never realized how important creating a community was to me personally as a place to raise my kids” (The New American Circus, Ernest Albrecht, University Press of Florida 1995, page 37).The feeling of a circus family has been lost and the feeling was as important as sacrifice to the work.
In 1960’s audience craves for something they have not seen before. They start to be more and more demanding and the circus directors’ must rise to the challenge. The task was not easy as people got already known one of the most powerful and the most influential institution: the television. In response circus wanted to be bigger, better and brighter! “The movies, once produced, had cheaper running costs; a movie house could employ fewer people and less skill than a vaudeville theatre; one product could be shown simultaneously all over the country. Because it was cheaper to run it could undercut the ticket prices of live performance and therefore the working classes began to move away from the theatres and music halls”. (Street Theatre and other outdoor performance, Bim Mason, Routledge, 1992, page 10)
Circus starts to be compared with a theatre and it opened up not only to new ideas but to new artists as well. It was the right time to uplift the spirit. Circus wanted to show something beyond physical skills so the setting had to be more theatrical.
In the heyday of contemporary circus, theatre had important transformation. The world got known such great personalities as Peter Brook, Jerzy Grotowski and many others. In contrast to circus, they combined new exciting elements like a plot, set design, costumes and finally switch the big top for an exclusive theatre venue; the theatre was stripped of most of these forms.
Grotowski was investigating the physical abilities of human body by the psychic awareness. Now, an actor who is the centre of attention, express himself and communicates using all his physical presence. It is interesting that many directors similar to Grotowski start to use elements of circus in their methods. Grotowski himself gives to the audience something they cannot experience through the television and video: a spiritual interaction with the actor.
In 1970s the contemporary audience was also looking for metaphor and importance in the whole act. He wants to be emotionally associated with it; he wants to forget himself and become a part of the story; and finally he hopes to see images on the stage he has not seen before.
I do not think the traditional circus could surprise the audience. A few tricks can be added, more people hired but at some point even that will not be enough. I believe this was the major reason why theatrical elements were applied. Actually since the two were introduced to each other the relationship has been on going. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to announce the engagement of the lovable couple: circus and the theatre are from now and forever united (applause).I would not expect divorce. They have already given new direction to such disciplines as street theatre, physical theatre, and circus schools. Similarities are visible to the naked eye. The mixture of the two can give an interesting effect. Peter Book for instance in his Midsummer Nights Dream, 1970 production, used many objects and techniques that before were only seen in circus tents. Shakespeare’s characters performed on the trapeze. Costume design also suggested connection with the circus. Here on the picture one of the characters wears typical for clown’s costume shoes and red nose.
Circus uplifts the spirit by combining acrobatic acts into a theme. “Over the years the theme has increasingly overtaken all elements of the production. It is first evoked in the décor that greets the audience at the front gate. It is carried through in the physical trappings of the reception tent and all the way through to the design of the performers’ entrance at the rear of the big top. The theme has also come to dictate the design of the souvenir program.” (The New American Circus, Ernest Albrecht, University Press of Florida 1995, page 54)
Some, like Binder (artistic director of the Big Apple Circus), has seen it as a problem: “they are (Cirque du Soleil) theatre people creating circus, as opposed to circus people trying to use the best of the theatre to create a circus.” (…) “Theatricality should be used to ‘heighten the form’, not create the conflict between the two.” (The New American Circus, Ernest Albrecht, University Press of Florida 1995, page 62) I believe the circus of mid twentieth century, and the circus that up to now perform all over the world became greater because of it wonderful design. It is the world that make set and costume designers to drift through magical fantasy. What makes it even more attractive is the scale of scenic pieces.
Peter Brook’s Midsummer production is excellent example of ‘exchange’ or rather how theatre ‘borrows’ ideas from circus. They are however, shows like “PSY” performed by The Seven Fingers whose stage design is not reminiscent of circus at all. I saw the show in Peacock Theatre in London in 2010 after long break from seeing any contemporary circus. On the way to the theatre there was one question banging in my head: am I going to see a theatre performance or circus show? I saw both. As a person trained to be performance designer, I always pay attention to set design and costumes presented on the stage.
The acrobatic equipment gives way to provisional, very sterile looking house. The set is still flexible and easy to adjust to certain scenes. For example the stairs inside the house would be moved and later used often as one of the prop for aerial tricks.
The set designer knows that each object has its place on the stage even if only fulfil to a decorative function. In a case of “PSY”, the set had to respond to needs of aerial acts. The ‘equipment’ (Aerial Hoop, trapeze, Spanish web, Aerial Harness or German Wheel) was rather merged into the background. Similarly, the costume itself creates realistic persona; characters “has their own peculiar modern malady (insomnia, hypochondria or compulsive behaviour)”. (http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/The-7-Fingers-Psy). Ernest Albrecht, who asks few times in his New American Circus about the similarities between the two disciplines, explains in his book the work of Cirque de Soleil: “there are only situations that require certain actions which are performed by characters who think and feel. Or to put it still another way, the acrobat, like the actor, must have a subtext. It is clear from this that we have left the world of the circus and passed into the worlds of theatre and dance”. (The New American Circus, University Press of Florida 1995, page 76)
The big top was definitely not the right place to get acting training and in fact in was not the right place for any of those who ever wanted to get higher education. Traditional circus stretched a body but not necessary general knowledge in other disciplines. In order to achieve the desired effect, to combine acting with acrobatic skill, the right institution must have been opened. The world’s first professional circus school appeared in Moscow in 1927. The training now combines the theatrical skills of dance, mime, and acting, whilst broadening the knowledge of music, art and circus history.
In 1985 Ivor David Balding who has theatre background develops in his Circus Flora a new element, the plot. Now even the theme is not enough and so circus decides to go even further. Circus tells a story and it is not meaningless anymore. Valentin Gneushev, one of the most influential circus directors-choreographers of the second half of the twentieth century, and the creator of some of the most innovative and celebrated circus acts of the 1990s said, “The circus, unlike any other medium or art form, is a fantastic reality. It allows you to eliminate traditional stereotypes and to realize your ideas. Circus is the philosophical art of new romanticism; it is the harmony of the physical strength, intense emotion and musical expressiveness”. (The New American Circus, University Press of Florida 1995, page 117) I imagine the cited sentence describes circus in best way. It is exactly how I see it today or rather how I see it to be used by other artists. Circus became an inspiration for other art forms from the 1970’s onwards. It is interesting that its elements are used mostly as a metaphor. The short film devised and directed by Shelly Love is one of the good examples. “The Forgotten Circus” is a surrealistic story about the Ringmaster (Gerard Bell) and his forgotten circus that is going to perform once again to no audience. Shelly used for her movie students and staff from the Circus Space (Hoxton, East London). It is a nostalgic picture using backwards motion. The Ringmaster and his circus are suspended in time. Through physicality issues such as loneliness and death are explored. Only few spoken words appeared to be there; the Ringmaster is reciting and his words lead the group:
Suspended
We are
Into ten centimetres deep
His aim
And quick eye
To the highest point
He will climb
His death defying feat
There is no audience
Can you hear the music?
They perform to no audience
Only themselves
Can you hear the music?
I am going to die of loneliness
For sure
The film may awake some ‘forgotten’ emotions that drowse in hidden recesses of our psyche.
In fine art circus characters, mostly clowns are often read as a trope. They show impairments of society. A few weeks ago I was asked by my partner why clowns are bald. A couple of more questions followed: why do clowns wear such bizarre clothes? And why do they paint face white? The white-face make-up was more visible in dimly-lit venues; that is the practical side of it. However the rhetorical figure has impact on other art forms. “The style of make-up and costume a clown wears has always been considered important, signifying characters in much the same way as masks in commedia dell’arte.” (Circus! The Jandaschewsky Story, Edited by Kimberley Webber; Powerhouse Museum; 1996; page41) Kimberley Webber states in the same book that Jandaschewsky influenced commedia dell’arte and that the influence “resonates in the actor-centred, physical approach to theatre and comedy that new circus troupes perform today.” (Page 49)
Magic of the street…
It is not easy to define street theatre. I understand it as a performance that take place in non theatrical venue. That can be theatre in parks, industrial buildings, and a street right at your doorstep. It is the theatre that explores new possibilities with less marketing behind it. “The purpose of doing theatre on the streets is to reach people who are unfamiliar with theatre; it therefore can never afford to become too elitist”. (Street Theatre and other outdoor performance; Bim Mason; Routledge; 1992; page13)
There is no unsuitable place for physical theatre company like Derevo to perform. Work of this stunning Russian group evokes the opening sentence from Peter Brook’s book ‘The Empty Space: ‘I can take any empty space and call it bare stage’. Indeed, Derevo has taken many ‘empty’ spaces through their twenty year long career as a theatre group. They are a well established company of professional actors. Some may call their work controversial; few elements are very characteristic for Derevo; it is the nudity and the surrealistic non verbal picture that is combined with circus. Derevo is famous for spontaneous theatrical actions and appearing in bizarre places. Most of the time they successfully manage to engaged onlookers in the show; they make people to stop for few minutes and watch… They watch and think… They think and try to understand a concept. Suddenly, the surrounding environment becomes part of the show. Literally some random objects that belong to a street will do as a prop. When I watch videos of their past projects I have the impression that Derevo does not look for audience; it is the audience that finds them by coincidence.
In ‘5th Wheel’ performed in Russia, one of the actors stands in the middle of a busy street in a centre of St. Petersburg. Cars and trams pass on both side of the traffic. A group of people who are waiting at the bus stop come closer to the edge of a pavement. Curiosity makes them to forget about the bus they are waiting for. The all stare at the bare foot actor. It is mercilessly cold winter. The time stood still. Onlookers forgot about their daily problems: busses, traffic, shopping, and issues in the bank. They were separated individuals. Now, unexpectedly, they created big community of spectators and watch how the actor tries to catch a bird; he seems to struggle to reach it but once the bird is in his hands we can feel an explosion of emotions, the triumph. Some may think that an actor takes a control of the street but as Anton (Derevo’s director and actor) said ‘the street own the performance’.
Performers are exposed on the street. They are not protected by curtains, light or sound. It is some kind of exhibitionism that reveals an actor’s competence as well as his limitations. They stand as close to public as close the public allow them to do so. Each body movement almost touch the spectator. Sometimes an unexpected even occurs and there is a need to react to it. The disruption can be caused by weather conditions like rain. The fire has, (as many other elements), metaphorical meaning. If the fire is killed by rain, some scene will not make the same sense. In this case improvisation takes over. Other disruptions actors need to deal with are vehicles and the sound of sirens. Most of the time street theatres cannot avoid them and this are not reliant on them. In the already mentioned outdoor action by Derevo, the St. Petersburg’s street chaos was almost like the music for the show.
Open space (open meaning non- theatrical venue) often inspire artists to the point that they are ready to make changes in a script or create an absolutely new piece. In Sovana, Italy the group spent a night in a cave. It was a beginning for their site specific performance ‘The Empire’. The ancient place allowed them to understand what and how they wished to ‘build’ the show. Together they shared needs and dreams. They united with the space. The space gives a lesson and shows the possibilities. “The main difference with a show devised for a specific site rather than one devised to tour is that the physical characteristics of the space condition the narrative, structurally and in content. The setting generates and shapes the ideas. Shows are ‘built in’ to the place they are performed in. in a site-specific show, the relationship between theatre and reality is changed. There may be a clear ‘edge’-sometimes danger. (Street Theatre and other outdoor performance; Bim Mason; Routledge; 1992; page 137)
Derevo has no fixed time frame when improvising outside. However it is vital to have beginning well arranged. They pulled ‘Golden Egg’ for three days. The performance ended up on a very personal level. The group started in a provincial Russian village. The mysterious dance turns into a deep trance. Anton, one of the directors, suddenly falls on the sandy road and starts to cry. In such situation reaction of the audience can be varied. We should not forget that the theatre enters the world of the spectator. The group appears ‘uninvited’. You do not go to your neighbour’s house and start to move positions of furniture, do you? An actor should be a part of the environment he wants to enter. He must become part of the picture that is already there. When street theatre company appears in a space without set or costume it means they do not enforce a meaning of the space. The actor is in the particular place to explore it and respect its nature. The atmosphere in return does the same. It dresses up the show on the side creating the set and the sound.
In the Golden Egg those unexpected emotions reveal some secrets. The spectator experience tears and the sudden laugh of the actor. Yet, the viewer should understand the picture he/she is looking at. If the audience turns its back and walk away because the performance is obscure, the chances of them coming back are tiny. “To have an audience at all, street performers must divert strollers from some other purpose and coax them into standing still for a few moments. Even once they have an audience street entertainers are forever in danger of loosing it. They must, therefore, constantly surprise and delight, for if they ever let up the audience will be gone.” (The New American Circus, Ernest Albrecht, University Press of Florida, 1995, page76)
In some circumstances neither actor, nor spectator need to worry about the set. Some of the places are the set themselves, like The Church of Three Kings in Dresden, Germany. The ‘Crossing’ was performed at late evening inside the church. The audience experienced mystical fight between the ‘good’ and the ’bad’. Here the devil fights with army of angels, slowly dragging each of them to his side. Could I imagine better place for the performance with biblical motives?
‘We work inside the theatre to sharpen our guns, and then we go outside to shoot the audience’, says Anton. Derevo like most of the street theatres realises that there are people who never go to theatre so they must go to them. Bringing theatre to small communities is one of the major roles of street performance. It is possibly the most exciting type of theatre. It is more real than black box show as it drags audience fully in to it. The difference is that within four walls it is easier to control audience’s behaviour, on the other hand ticket-paying audiences expect grossly inflated spectacle for the money the pay.
People say that first impression is the most important. Street theatre companies often appear in a place and at the time when passer-by do not expect them. That is exactly what happened in Terschelling in Netherlands where Derevo performed in the middle of a field. The story would not be so odd-looking if not for the fact they were without the audience. A bicycle tour passes by, most of its members stop; they seem to be very confused. Their facial expressions show that the event is probably considered by them as some kind of abnormal activity. However, curiosity pushes them to preserve the event.
Outside performance gives freedom. Firstly ‘the stage’ is much more spacious, the auditorium fits more than anyone expect, and finally brings elements that are strictly forbidden inside the black box. Fire is one of them. Use of it wakes up most of our senses. We can see it, smell it and feel the heat on our skin. It is mostly associated with circus artists but often appears in street performance. Outdoor theatre also gives the opportunity to use something that most of the venues in this country have no access to: natural day light… It is the nature that makes street theatre more real than any other. Bringing its elements: grass, mud, dirt, dust, water etc., into a venue creates an artificial set. The experience will definitely be different. It also works the other way around. Seeing theatrical props among dune-like landscape may bring uncomfortable feelings of something very unreal. Derevo is considered to be physical theatre but they are more that this; they are street performers, entertainers, professionals whose work surprises within four walls and smashes outdoor. They are the people who never stop to experiment with new exciting ideas and who are not scared to cull from other disciplines. They are theatre and circus at once.
The twentieth century was dynamic when it came to changes in all life disciplines imaginable. I am really glad the evolution hit circus and theatre. They do not become one body but they become two that are afflatus to each other.
It is unbelievable that few years back circus did not exist for me as an art form, and now it is one of the places where I would love to work as set or costume designer. Circus has its colourful history and colourful design. I admire the flexible body; it is fascinating how a performer can push the boundaries of his body. This is the reason why dance and physical theatre were always for me at the forefront. Lately circus has joined this group of favorites. It is a wonderland with big possibilities. Designing for those troops gives high freedom on the other hand meets a challenge. Because of the size of the big top props should be big enough to be visible for the audience. In circus the designer creates the atmosphere the characterization. The lighting manipulates the ambience. Music is there to varying degree. Caron (Cirque du Soleil) believes that music and movement in aerial act are one. “In the movement you see the music and in the music you hear the movement.” (The New American Circus, Ernest Albrecht, University Press of Florida, 1995, page77) Composer René Dupéré creates music for the show according to described by Caron mood and spirit and then Caron created the show according to the music. Costume in circus performance creates a character. The artists covered underneath gives to it vitality and uncover physical possibilities. The frame in both circus and theatres is now similar. The sense of unity can be achieved thanks to creative team of stage director, choreographer, costume designer/maker, stage and lighting designer and finally composer, although “the relationship between performer and the audience is the essence of any theatrical event and more than any other factor determines its nature.” (Street Theatre and other outdoor performance; Bim Mason; Routledge; 1992; page 181)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Constantin Stanislavski, 1959, Building a character, Max Reinhardt,London ;
Bim Mason, 1992, Street Theatre and other outdoor performance, Routledge, London and New York
Jan Cohen-Cruz, 1998, Radical street performance, Routledge, London and New York
Peta Tait, 2005, CIRCUS BODES Cultural identity in aerial performance, Routledge, London and New York
Sir Gerrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, 1946, The English Circus and Fair Ground, Methuen & CO.LTD, London
Robin Rhode, 2008, Who Saw Who, Hayward Publishing, London
Ernest Albrecht, 1995, The New American Circus, University Press of Florida
Kimberley Webber, 1996, Circus!: the Jandaschewsky story, Powerhouse Museum, Australia
Jerzy Grotowski, 1991, Towards a poor theatre, Methuen Drama, London
Peter Brook, 2008, The Empty Space, Penguin Modern Classics, London
Beckett on Film: 1/2/3/4, 2001, Blue Angel Films
Shelly Love, The Forgotten Circus, Rough Trade, DVD
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=derevo+open+air+action&aq=f / derevo-open air action
