NEWS: An 'emotional homecoming' for Poole's Lighthouse, as circus troupe performs again.

‘Emotional homecoming’ as circus company performs again

Dorset-based circus company Extraordinary Bodies is getting ready for an emotional homecoming as it unveils its latest show at Lighthouse, Poole’s centre for the arts, on 17 and 18 September.

Made in lockdown earlier this year, Human combines circus skills, live music, dance and film with stories drawn from the real-life experiences of company members – disabled and non-disabled artists working together as equals – whose answers to questions about their lives captured stories about everything from childhood and their mums, to falling in love and life changing moments, even their love of sweets!

 

“I will be very emotional when we share the show at Lighthouse,” says Artistic Director Claire Hodgson MBE, who lives in Swanage. “We have spent 17 months unable to perform and this feels like a homecoming.

 

“Coming to the show will mean supporting local artists and the Dorset-based company, Diverse City, I founded in 2005 that produces Extraordinary Bodies in partnership with Cirque Bijou. Dorset is a highly creative county and artists here are groundbreaking. We are a forward-thinking, inclusive place that is a natural home for a groundbreaking circus company.”

 

The cast – diverse in terms of ethnicity, disability and age – appears in person and on film with the audio played through headphones to create a very intimate relationship between audience members and performers. Captions and audio description are available and the show is BSL interpreted by well-known Deaf actor David Ellington.

 

“Human gets to the heart of how we are all feeling right now and I can't wait to show it to everyone, alongside the amazing cast and crew who make the show,” enthuses performer Jonny Leitch.

 

After each performance the audience is encouraged to meet the company informally and ask questions about what they’ve seen and share their own stories about what it means to them to be human – a conversation that can be continued afterwards on social media.

 

“We all live with different levels of vulnerability to the virus,” adds Claire, “but we want everyone to be able to participate as an audience member or performer and will be creative as to how that can happen.”

 

Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists, the company’s fully integrated youth group, is based at Lighthouse where it has resumed weekly rehearsals. Its brand-new show Till We Win blends anarchic theatre, circus, dance and live music and premieres at Lighthouse on Saturday 18 September, with a discount for those booking to see both shows.

 

“We are totally ready with a show that is anarchic, joyous and real,” says Eilís Bevan-Davis, Artistic Director of Extraordinary Bodies Young Artists. “We have truly missed our community and can’t wait to get back in the theatre again – to share our stories and to take our rightful place again, centre stage."

 

Thoughts echoed by performer Josh Ward: “It has been a hell of a lot of Zoom sessions, but we’ve made it out of the worst period now and come into the beaming light of the stage to perform at Lighthouse, our headquarters in Poole!"

 

Human can be seen from 7.30pm on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 September.

 

Till We Win plays from 4.30pm on Saturday 18 September.

 

Tickets available at www.lighthousepoole.co.uk.