Most blog readers will know I enjoy using a well balanced axe, probably not many know I am also a keen juggler and have lots of friends who were profesional performers. I once rode my unicycle around the top of the world trade centre. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw a show advertised bringing together my loves of woodworking and circus skills.
TIMBER is the show, I went to the opening night last Wednesday and it did not disappoint. Circue Alfonse are a family troupe from Quebec and most of the props are woodworking tools found in the old barns at their home.
There are three generations involved from the 66 year old grandfather to 2 yr old grandson.
here are the rest of the crew doing their thing, its fast furious fun
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Itc0F10PeZM&w=560&h=315]
The more impressive bits to me were the acrobatics and balancing, again it was not top flight circus level but it was well done and fun, two guys holding a wooden pole whilst another guy jumps up on to it then does a backflip landing back on the pole, pretty impressive. There was a very good routine playing around with a big wagon wheel.
The best bits of the show though were the way the narrative ran, circus can be a bit of a series of people doing stand a lone acts and this flowed really well, partly because the timber theme ran through everything and it was just about plausible as a logging camp and partly and surprisingly because of the absolutely superb music. We might have expected a bit of country banjo or maybe cajun, we got the banjo and guitar but also fantastic Dick Dale style surf guitar mixed in and driving it with footstomping for bass drum. I had a great evening and would happily recommend it.
It’s only on to 31st July so if you want to see it best book soon tickets here.
There is a really nice BBC interview with the family here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23270819
It’s not a long show, just 90 mins with no interval so you’ll need something else to fill your evening, I always enjoy hanging out watching the skateboarders under the southbank centre
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB03AH4Umug&w=420&h=315]
and we did dinner at Wahaca, great mexican food, overlooking the Thames £20 for two, before we started on the beer and super smooth tequila.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFM9R90uJOw&w=560&h=315]
and finally simply because I can’t imagine another blog post where I will be able to share it, this is what really amazing juggling looks like, in some ways Alexander Koblikov makes it look too easy but stepping up from 3 balls to 5 is generally when you start to say “I am a juggler” rather than “I can juggle” it is typically several months hard practice every day to get to 5 balls. I have only known a handful of jugglers that are totally comfortable with 7 stepping up from there to 9 or ten is simply incredible but then to mix that level of technical ability with the mime in this routine just bonkers. Just try “walking” onto stage like this for a start.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8qFBvnUGSM&w=420&h=315]
Robin – sounds great and I love Wahaca – just finished reading 'The Wooden Bowl' on holiday – very enjoyable. Harry (Mr Windsorchair on Youtube).