RECLAIM is an imaginary ritual that will be performed in a circular.
Underbelly’s Circus Hub “The Beauty” on the Meadows (Venue 360)
Schedule: 15h10
What is offered here is not a show, but a collective experience. A dangerous moment to be, experienced like a return to the "circus of the origins", characterised by savagery, the circle, strangeness, sometimes monstrosity, hyper closeness and fear.
An opera singer, two cellists, five circus performers (acrobatic lifts) will be literally surrounded by our bleacher and the spectators in a disturbing closeness.
RECLAIM is an act of resistance which means being able to recover, to reappropriate what one has been separated from.
This creation is seen as a necessity, a form of secular prayer.
We must believe in what does not exist yet but has been present in us since the beginning of time.
This necessity is what one also becomes capable of.
I love work from Belgium. However, I am more used to either choreography or drama than circus work. Does he company's work fit with the kind of Belgian anaesthetic that I adore – I am thinking of the companies that come to the fringe every year – or does it sit in a particular circus tradition?
Patrick Masset: You should know that I come from a theater background. I stumbled upon circus almost twenty years ago by chance. What primarily interests me in circus is the body's work through hand-to-hand techniques. It's akin to dance, and there are no props involved. Moreover, I emphasize the importance of written material where the technique serves a "message."
I'm also interested in confronting different practices and seeking alternative forms: how can hand-to-hand (circus), lyrical singing, and puppetry coexist?
We were present at the Fringe with "The Child Who..." at the French Institute a few years ago. The press release talks of danger and intimacy. Does the show have a particular narrative, or a starting point? Would you describe it as abstract?
This is an imaginary ritual loosely based on the Ko'ch ritual in Central Asia. This ritual is mainly performed by women. For me, writing guides all my shows, it's the central point of my work. But in a ritual, as in life, everything is not always legible or obvious. That's why what I'm referring to here is an experiential journey shared with the audience, rather than a show that tells a straightforward, easily understandable story. Everyone will have to make their own way. Is circus a medium that can do more than entertain?
The circus can stand on its own. Many people come to see the technique without concern for writing or dramaturgy, as if they were going to watch a football match.
It's impressive!
For my part, I am convinced that beyond technique, asking a circus artist to defend a concept, a desire close to essential emotions like death, time, love, etc., allows for the exploration of spaces beyond the reach of words.
I enjoy working with highly skilled technicians, but sometimes the technique is reduced to being of little significance because the essence of a performance is not about pleasing or impressing, but about evoking mystery, that which eludes us...
What kind of experience do you hope that an audience will have?
For my part, when I attend a performance in a theater, under a circus tent, or on the street, I desire just one thing: to be carried away! When time fades away, meaning becomes something else, and we are shown the world from a different perspective through a unique, authentic, and original experience, that's already immense. Something must pass through us and transform us, be it for a moment or forever. That is the role of art. And is there any reason why you have decided to come to the Edinburgh Festival?
The Fringe is oriented towards the international scene. It's a unique opportunity to showcase our work to audiences and professionals whom it's often very challenging to meet within Europe easily.Our desire is to perform and share our work with as many spectators as possible in different countries.
We enrich each other, and together, we can view the world with wonder, sincerity, and as much respect for one another as possible.
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