FROM OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: LIBERTY UNBOUND FESTIVAL AT BELL SQUARE

The Mayor of London’s Liberty Festival is the UK’s largest annual outdoor arts festival showcasing the work of D/deaf and disabled artists.  On 1 September, it will visit Bell Square for a special event.

Liberty Festival
The Liberty Festival first took place in 2003.  More than 300 D/deaf and disabled artists have presented their work at the festival over its 15-year history.  Events have taken place at Trafalgar Square, then moved to the Southbank, and more recently to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

This year, for the first time, the festival has an entirely new format.  Rather than happening in one central location, it will tour over 3 days to 3 different town centres across London.  The showcase will visit Lewisham, Enfield and Hounslow and has a new name – Liberty Unbound!

The programme
The showcase touring to each location includes music, theatre, dance and visual arts from some of the best-known D/deaf and disabled artists working in the UK.  In one afternoon at Bell Square, you will get to experience Graeae theatre company, Candoco Dance Company, Deaf Rave and Jason Wilsher-Mills.

Candoco
Some of you will remember the visit from Candoco last summer.  You and I Know was a lovely show which was very popular with the Bell Square audience.  Some of the feedback that day was really quite profound and many people said they were moved to tears.  On Saturday, we will see Candoco’s new show, Dedicated To…, which is about long lasting friendships between women.  I saw this show earlier in the summer at the Birmingham International Dance Festival and in my opinion it is another great show.  I’m sure you’ll like this one, too!

Graeae
We welcome Graeae (pronounced Grey-Eye) to Bell Square for the first time this weekend.  Graeae has been a force for change in the world of theatre, boldly placing D/deaf and disabled actors centre stage and challenging preconceptions.  The company was set up in 1980 and has been one of the trailblazers in the development of arts, and especially theatre, by D/deaf and disabled artists ever since.

Their Artistic Director, Jenny Sealey, has been with them since 1997 and is well-known for directing shows at prestigious theatres such as Birmingham Rep, Nottingham Playhouse and the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.  She also co-directed the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

At Bell Square, Graeae will perform their remarkable show, The Iron Man.  Inspired by the famous story by Ted Hughes, the giant Iron Man puppet is the size of a double-decker bus and will roam the High Street! 

I recently caught up with Jenny and was talking to her about the show.  I asked her what had captured her imagination about this story and made her want to devise a theatre show based on it.

Jenny:  ‘I loved The Iron Man as a child and reading it again as an adult in the context of working with Graeae, I realised The Iron Man is like disabled people – he is ‘other’ and people vilify him.  But I also wanted the challenge of working with a giant puppet!’

As I imagine The Iron Man clattering along Hounslow High Street, I asked her how audiences react when this towering puppet appears!

Jenny:  ‘Audiences are initially a bit scared but then wowed by our Iron Man because of the size - and because he is driven by a wheelchair user, as it is made from power chair electrics.  In the story, the Iron Man tries to communicate so hard with Hogarth – a young boy who is deaf. Hogarth understands that feeling of ‘other’ too, so they become friends.’

I was also interested in what Jenny thinks the story of The Iron Man tells us as a contemporary society.

Jenny:  ‘The story tells us that we are too quick to judge, and we make instant assumptions and put up barriers.  The Iron Man challenges this and works to earn his stripes to be accepted.  We need to embrace diversity and remove barriers.’

Alongside these great performances, we will have 30 minute DJ sets from Deaf Rave – a collective of D/deaf and hearing-impaired DJs who install staff who can sign at each of their events.  

And you will also be able to meet some amazing interactive sculptures by Jason Wilsher-Mills. Audiences can interact physically with these human figures through a tablet or smartphone, triggering augmented reality aspects of the sculpture.

Come and see Bell Square favourites, Candoco, and an afternoon of theatre, art, dance and music.  The showcase runs from 1-5pm so come along at any time.

And, as always, let us know what you think on social media, using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag!
 

From our Artistic Director : Have you had a ‘Belly of the Whale’ experience?

Ockham's Razor has been lauded as one of the most exciting new circus companies in the UK for over 10 years.  But their shows have all been made for indoor theatres - until now.   Belly of the Whale is their new show - their first for outdoors – and it comes to Bell Square on Saturday 8 September. 

Belly of the Whale is set on a giant, semi-circular, see-saw structure.  It is a beautiful wooden sculpture in its own right and the company use it to showcase their signature blend of circus skills, humour and breathtaking moments of risk.

Ockham's Razor

Ockham's Razor describe themselves as an aerial theatre company who combine circus and very visual performance to make shows that are both arresting and entertaining.  Their starting point for making a new show is often the creation of a new piece of equipment - like the beautiful wooden see-saw above.

From that, they devise a story flowing from the experience of the artists using the structure - especially the vulnerability, trust and reliance on each other when performing complex routines, not only in the air, but often at high speed.  But Ockham's Razor are not just a circus company that do impressive tricks.  The characters in their shows reflect experiences and emotions that we can all identify with and relate to. 

Belly of the Whale

And so it is in their new show.  The concept of the 'belly of the whale' is found in mythology from all over the world.  It is, for example, seen in the well-known tale of Jonah and the Whale.  

The story goes that when Jonah was asked to perform a very difficult task, he avoided it and went away in a boat.  A storm came, the boat sank and Jonah, having fallen into the sea, was swallowed by a whale.  Whilst being thrown around inside the whale's belly, scared and isolated, he had time to reflect seriously on his life, and admit to himself that he had avoided taking responsibility.  After several days, he came to the view that he should face up to what had been asked of him.  Eventually, the whale came to the shore, where Jonah had been asked to undertake the task, and coughed him up from its belly.  Jonah then went on to complete the task he had been asked to do. 

This same story is told in many different ways across the world but the message is basically the same.   All involve being swallowed or eaten by some kind of large beast!  The Eskimo of Bering Strait tells of a raven that was also eaten by a whale.  Zulu mythology tells of a mother and children eaten by an elephant.   Even Red Riding Hood, in the folk tale from Germany, was eaten by the wolf!

Essentially, though, a 'belly of the whale' experience involves much soul-searching, in a rather dark place, before finally facing up to a very difficult situation!  In taking on the challenge, though, we transform our character and come out of it a stronger person.  Most of us have probably had a 'belly of the whale' experience at some time in our lives!

Ockham's Razor's show, then, asks us what happens when we confront our fears?  When we come face to face with the power of things we initially feel we can't change? 

The performers, as if themselves on a turbulent sea, ride the giant see-saw, which creaks and groans as it throws them around.  But over time, it gradually changes into a gently rocking cradle, and then a tunnel, and finally a slide. 

Tina Koch from Ockham's Razor and the director of the show, says, 'In this current climate, it can often feel like you are fighting with giants, running against walls, being thrown, faced with challenges and changes seemingly beyond your control.  The show is a reflection of the world how we experience it.  It is about 3 people coming face to face with their biggest challenge and the different ways they deal with it.  It is about daring to jump into the unknown and about perseverance - and ultimately discovering that you can go it alone, but you can go further when you join together.'

Come and see Belly of the Whale at Bell Square on Saturday 8 September at 3.00 pm.  

And we’d love to hear your thoughts on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag!

From our Artistic Director: Let's do a digger dance and walk with dinosaurs! Autumn/Winter Preview

I’m writing this in one of the hottest summers we’ve had in years.  It seems barely imaginable that we’ll soon be heading into the cooler autumn days, with the nights drawing in, and through to the crisp, cold days of winter.  But we have another 8 great shows for you, so winter won’t be so bad!

We have spectacular theatre, stunning installations and more great circus.  We have artists from all over the UK, and from Poland, Slovenia and the Netherlands.  We have shows that will make us think and shows that I hope will get us talking!  How do we face up to challenges?  How do we welcome new people into our community?  What happens when someone we love experiences mental health problems?

And there will be experiences that I also hope will linger in our memories.  What does the moon look like close up?  We can lie on the Square and find out!

September
We start the autumn season on 8 September with one of the UK’s most exciting contemporary circus companies.   Ockham’s Razor bring their first outdoor show, Belly of the Whale, to Bell Square.  It has 3 performers on a beautiful, wooden sculpture, something like a giant see-saw.  The show is based on mythology from around the world which talks of the ‘belly of the whale’ and asks what happens when we confront our fears and come face to face with the power of things we seemingly can’t change.

On 22 September, Bell Square will host Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon.  This large-scale installation is 7 metres in diameter and is an exact replica of the surface of the moon, taken from detailed NASA imagery from space.  Lie on grass on the Square and gaze at the moon!  Listen to music and stories inspired by the moon, and see a wonderful performance by Humanhood called Orbis.

October
In my opinion, one of the highlights of the year will be The Winter’s Tale by legendary Polish theatre company, Teatr Biuro Podrozy.  They will present a ‘promenade’ version of The Winter’s Tale – a spectacular of fire, music and stilt-walking.  Processing through Hounslow town centre, this is Shakespeare’s story of a king who murdered his wife, and the guilt and terrible repercussions of jealousy.  6 October - a date for your diary!

On 20 October, we welcome back Company Chameleon from Manchester.  Witness This turns a spotlight on mental health in a moving and emotional portrayal of how loved ones cope when mental health problems take hold of someone close.  Powerful and deeply personal, the piece tells the story of one of Company Chameleon’s founding dancers, following his journey and struggle with bipolar.

November
On 3 November, we have a real treat for you!  Motionhouse dance company come to Bell Square with one of their famous ‘digger shows’.  These are shows with dancers and a JCB.  EXO is their brand new ‘digger show’ for 2018 and explores the relationship between ‘man and machine’ in a breath-taking display of strength, emotion and beauty.

I think many of you know what will happen on 17 November.  Yes, it’s Hounslow’s annual Winter Lights parade!  People from all over the borough will have made lanterns with artists, Same Sky, in the weeks leading up to the event.  On the night, hundreds of people carrying lanterns create a spectacular procession through the town centre, leading to a finale performance at Bell Square.

December
December will be very international!  We start with a visit from Ljud, a company from Slovenia, on 1 December.  On this day, pink aliens from outer space will land in Hounslow.  They are very curious and sociable and they will want to get to know you!  This is a very funny show but also quietly questions how we welcome new people into our community.

And to wrap up the year on 15 December, Close Act from Holland bring us one of their large-scale visual spectacles.  Saurus is magical and hypnotic for an audience that finds itself immersed among life-size dinosaurs!

So, bring on the autumn, and even the winter!  Let’s walk the streets with the Queen’s coffin.  Let’s watch a super cool driver make a digger dance.  And let’s walk with dinosaurs!

Huge thanks to Arts Council England and London Borough of Hounslow for their support of these events. #BellSquareLDN #Community

From our Artistic Director: Come and Create Something Beautiful in Hounslow!

Over the years, we have had many events at Bell Square which have involved local people getting directly involved in the show.  They are always popular, and usually quite special.  On Saturday, I’m looking forward to welcoming Stalker Teatro with their project, Steli.  Everyone who would like to get involved can come and help build some beautiful, coloured structures together on the Square.

Stalker Teatro
The artistic core of Stalker Teatro have worked together since setting up the ‘Political Collective’ in Turin in 1975.  This period was the heyday of Italy’s post-1968 cultural and political uproar.  Like many parts of Europe, and indeed the US, Italy saw major protests and rebellion in 1968.  Working class students mostly drove the movement which aimed to change Italy’s traditional, capitalist and patriarchal society.  Unrest began with a few student protests but by May 1968 all but one of Italy’s universities were occupied.  And in the same month, 100 artists occupied the Palazzo della Triennale, the major cultural institution in Milan.

The context surrounding the start of Stalker Teatro left an enduring mark on the company’s work which is still obvious today.  They are strongly committed to artistic experimentation with communities and especially dedicated to creating cultural events with local people.  They work outside - and are at their best on the streets and on public squares.

Steli
Steli is for everyone.  You are all invited to come and help build a structure out of hundreds of rainbow-coloured sticks.  It is very easy, but very satisfying to see a beautiful creation coming together on the Square.  When it’s finished, it has a really great visual impact.  And everyone can then explore it – walking, crawling, climbing, under and through, this crazy structure.  Or just sitting at the side, quietly admiring their efforts, and listening to the DJ.

Those sitting and watching may start to think about the artists’ ideas when they were developing this project.  The project is about how we live in, or inhabit, architecture in post-industrial cities.  How do we feel about the spaces we live in?  Are they what we want?

In a review for The Herald in Glasgow, Stalker Teatro’s director, Gabriele Boccacini is credited as having ‘achieved what a million town planners have walled-in and made impossible, liberating hearts and minds by giving them space’.  As the review says, in an ideal world, it would always be like this…

Saturday
On Saturday, we will be building a new structure 3 times during the afternoon.  Please come and join us!   It’s on at 12.30 pm, 2.15 pm, and 4.00 pm.

And tell us what you think – did you enjoy it?  Did it make you think differently about what architecture could be?  About the spaces where we live?

Share your thoughts with us on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag!

From our Artistic Director: In Krakow

It’s Sunday night in Krakow.  I’ve been here for a few days now, visiting the Ulica festival.  Ulica means ‘street’ in Polish and this is a festival of theatre on the streets and squares of Krakow.

I'm always looking for the best shows for next year at Bell Square, and I go to festivals to see around 25 shows in 3-4 days.  Festivals, though, are also a great opportunity to meet new artists and talk to other programmers, often from all over the world, and to be inspired by new ideas and new people.

At Bell Square, the underlying theme of much of the programme is shows that tell contemporary stories that affect us all.  Sometimes these are local, but often they are wider – global stories of what is happening in the world.  I am always looking for artists who bring these stories to life, bringing different perspectives to our shared understanding. 

The Ulica Festival

The Ulica festival in Krakow this year has had a theme called ‘Wind from the East’.  Its aim was to present outdoor and street theatre companies from East of Europe, introducing the themes, concepts and trends prevalent in outdoor arts in Asia.  There were many different artists and companies here from Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, South Korea, Singapore, Israel and Turkey.  I had seen very few of these companies before, so this was a feast of new experiences for me!

The festival also presents new shows each year by some of the most established outdoor theatre companies in Poland, alongside younger companies who have not yet started international touring.  Poland, like much of Eastern Europe, has a deep and rich tradition of powerful, political outdoor theatre which speaks beyond borders with its highly visual language.

The Ulica festival is organised by Teatr KTO, a theatre company based in Krakow, who have toured internationally for many years.  Bell Square audiences may remember their performance of Peregrinus in 2015, which talked of the bland corporate cultures created by global capitalism and the dehumanising effect on its workers.  This show was very popular at Bell Square!

Teatro KTO in Krakow

For me, festivals are usually 3-4 days of watching back-to-back shows – sometimes 12 shows in a day, and rushing from one location to the next to make sure I see as many as possible.

Ulica was not so frenetic, with a little more time between shows to meet, talk and reflect.  It all felt a little more relaxed than usual.  This has been my first time at Ulica – and my first time in Krakow – but I suspect this may reflect a city in which people seem to make time for each other.  A few minutes here, half an hour there, gave me time to catch up with artists and other programmers to chat about their plans and possible future collaborations with Bell Square. 

It is very noticeable in Poland that the artists there work together, share so much, and really support each other.  In fact, one of the actors from Teatr Biuro Podrozy, Jarek Siejkowski, actually helped the Director of Teatr KTO to devise this year’s Ulica festival.  Some of you may also remember Teatr Biuro Podrozy’s show, Silence, last September at Bell Square.  Silence was an obvious example of those big, powerful, political dramas that I was talking about earlier.  Jarek is one of the main actors in this wonderful company.  And as a sneak preview, they will be back at Bell Square on 6 October with an absolutely stunning production of The Winter’s Tale!

A few highlights

The last few days have offered many new shows and I cannot talk about all of them, but I will just mention a few.  Teatr KTO, the company who organise the festival, performed The Fragrance of Time, a production about a young child growing up in Poland in the 1920s/30s.  Twenty seven actors, a giant birdcage, stilts, smoke, fire, a vintage Rolls Royce and more – this was certainly a memorable show!

Very different was an installation by Teatr Wagabunda (or Vagabond Theatre), Old Homestead. This is a collection of beautifully-made, old-fashioned games and household items that would have been in everyday use by earlier generations.  Laid out on the small market square, this was thronged with children and adults alike for hours every day.  There was laughter and play for all – one of my favourite moments was two middle-aged men having a pillow fight!

Another highlight for me was a show called Foam Days by The Engineering Theatre AKHE, a truly amazing group of artists from Russia.  The company produces a mix of circus and visual theatre, with live music and quite a cinematic feel to their performances – it really is quite unique and difficult to define.  Their show, Foam Days, is based on Boris Vian’s book, L’Ecume des Jours’ and has an air of absolute madness from start to finish!

So, will you see any of these shows at Bell Square?  Well, I certainly think so.  I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t!

But right now, it’s time for a little break – and oh, this looks like just the place!

From our Artistic Director: Media Manipulation & the Arab Spring

On 14 July, Catalan artists Insectotropics return to Bell Square with a performance of The Legend of the Burning Man.  This is a searching investigation into how our understanding of world events is manipulated by media.  It follows the story of how a local incident in a small, rural Tunisian town sparked protests and revolutions across an entire region that became known as The Arab Spring. 

Mohamed Bouazizi – the man who triggered the Arab Spring
Mohamed Bouazizi grew up and lived in Sidi Bouzid, a small rural town in Tunisia. In a context of 30% unemployment, he had worked in various jobs since he was 10, and became a full-time street vendor of fruit and vegetables in his late teens. He had abandoned his dream of attending university in order to earn money to support his family. 

The town was stifled by corruption and, according to local people, Bouazizi had been harassed and abused by local police officers for years.  Because he could not afford to bribe the police officers, they regularly confiscated his small wheelbarrow of produce.  With no other way of earning a living, he had no option but to continue his life as a street vendor. 

On the morning of 17 December 2010, Bouazizi went to the fruit market as usual.  Again, the police officers began harassing him, supposedly because he did not have a vendor permit (even though no permit was needed to sell from a cart). 

Many conflicting accounts report that Bouazizi was either slapped, spat at, beaten or insulted.  All agree, however, that he was humiliated by the local official.

Bouazizi went to the governor's office to complain but the governor refused to see him. Incensed, Bouazizi bought a can of paint thinner, returned to the street outside the governor's office, doused his body with the liquid and set himself alight. 

As he caught fire, people around him panicked and tried to help.  People ran inside for a fire extinguisher but it was empty.  They called for the police but nobody came. It took 90 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. Suffering burns over 90% of his body, he was taken to a local hospital and then onto a specialist burn and trauma centre.  Eighteen days later, he died, having remained unconscious until his death.  He was 26.

The Start of the Revolution
Several months later, in March 2011, the Washington Post noted that, 'Revolutions are explosions of frustration and rage that build over time, sometimes over decades. Although their political roots are deep, it is often a single spark that ignites them - an assassination perhaps, or one selfless act of defiance. '

And so it was in Sidi Bouzid.  Outraged by the events that led Mohamed Bouazizi to set himself alight, protests began in Sidi Bouzid within hours, building for more than 2 weeks as Bouazizi lay dying in hospital. Attempts by police to quell the protests served only to inflame the social unrest. 

As Tunisia's unpopular President, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, visited Bouazizi in hospital with a camera crew, the crowds raged at his hypocrisy. 

In early January,  the police woman who had humiliated Bouazizi was arrested - but it was all too late to appease the wrath of the people.

After Bouazizi's death, more than 5000 people joined the funeral procession in Sidi Bouzid.  Many chanted of revenge. The protests spread, eventually reaching the capital, bringing anger and violence to the streets.  Ten days after Bouazizi's death, President Ben Ali finally fled the country, ending his 23-year rule which over time had become a dictatorship. 

The Role of Social Media
On the day after Bouazizi set himself alight, a small crowd gathered in front of Sidi Bouzid's City Hall to protest at the treatment of the street vendors. A cousin of Bouazizi filmed the protest on his phone and posted the video online.  A blogger in Tunis, who had continually challenged Ben Ali's regime, saw the video and recognised the significance. 

Whilst Ben Ali's officials had censored the Internet for years, they had missed the recent, sudden growth of Facebook in Tunisia. The blogger posted the video on Facebook and news of the protest spread quickly. Protesters in nearby towns took to the streets.  Al-Jazeera broadcast the video repeatedly for days and the protests spread rapidly across Tunisia. 

Over the coming months, this wave of protests spread further afield.  Another anti-government blogger in Egypt similarly used Facebook to organise mass protests.  And still the stories spread further, enveloping Libya in civil war and threatening regimes and monarchies across the region. 

The Legend of the Burning Man
The artists, Insectotropics, say that The Legend of the Burning Man is a performance which revolves around the media and the manipulation of power, reflecting a reality in which we are all part of a web, but that nobody seems to recognise themselves as a spider. 

It is a powerful, quite brutal and explosive spectacle. It is presented as live performance, painting, projection and music, on a large cube of screens, set high above the audience. The audience move freely around the 4 sides of the cube, seeing the show from all angles.  Just like reality itself, or news reporting, if you see something from only one angle, your perspective is incomplete.  In every moment, on every side, there are different things happening, all to be seen from another angle. 

In Tunisia, there are many viewpoints about who Mohamed Bouazizi was.  The flood of social media led to world wide debate. Many in North Africa and the Middle East see Bouazizi as a hero, who inspired the region's young people to revolt against their autocratic governments. Others reflect that he was not interested in politics and just wanted to stand up for his own dignity - and perhaps the dignity of all Tunisians. 

Others believe that the media storm that followed Bouazizi's protest was fuelled by Western political agendas.  One local in Sidi Bouzid told a Western journalist, 'Mohamed Bouazizi is not our hero. He is your hero'. For some Tunisians, he is not really a political hero but a media creation of outsiders who wanted change in the region. 

So The Legend of the Burning Man presents these partial, manipulated and alternative viewpoints.  The images are manipulated, things become icons that are not, public opinion and emotions are manipulated. 

Insectotropics
Insectotropics is a collective of artists, set up in Barcelona in 2011. Made up of painters, musicians, theatre and video artists, they fuse artforms and create a unique language to tell their stories.  Their shows are 'made live' so audiences see the process as well as the finished product on screen.  

Their work is powerful and political.  Some of you may remember their dark retelling of Red Riding Hood at Bell Square in 2015.  In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting shows we have had at Bell Square.  A Spanish blog, Desde El Patio, says, 'If La Caputxeta Galactica (Red Riding Hood) was an acid trip, The Legend of the Burning Man is like crack'.

Come and see for yourself at Bell Square on Saturday 14 July at 9.45pm when it is completely dark. Recommended for age 14+

From our Artistic Director: Fabulous French hip-hop dance comes to Bell Square

We’ve got a really great French dance company, Cie Dyptik, coming to Bell Square on Saturday, 30 June.  They're quite new to touring in the UK and this will be one of the first chances to see them here, so I’d like to introduce them!

Cie Dyptik

Cie Dyptik was set up in 2012 by two choreographers, Mehdi Meghari and Souhail Marchiche.  The company is based in Saint-Etienne, towards the south of France near Lyon. 

They use hip-hop dance and create shows about what it means to be human.  They look at identity with depth and authenticity.  They also look at the relationships between us all and how they're influenced by history.  They immerse themselves in the disorders of the world and challenge themselves not to ignore them.  They search for what is most powerful in each and every one of us.

The company has created five shows in its first six years but, in the spirit of hip-hop, is also actively engaged in sharing its practice through public workshops, residencies to share ideas with other artists, and an annual festival in Saint-Etienne.

D-Construction

D-Construction is the show coming to Bell Square. It was created in 2015 and is the first of a series of 3 shows tackling the topic of ‘revolt’.

D-Construction is a high-energy hip-hop dance performance with a powerful beat, set on and around a large, chain-link fence.  The show is about identity, borders, and the bonds that connect us with each other. And about how difficult it is to break free when you don’t feel connected to your community, when you no longer feel part of something but feel locked in a cage.

The fence seems insurmountable, so how do you break free?  The dancers struggle to liberate themselves, questioning what unites us and what separates us, what brings us together.  When merging into a group, they create a stronger identity.  And when breaking apart, they show their individual uniqueness.

The audience sits up close to the performance so you feel very much part of it, living the experience of connection and revolt.

Come and see what it's all about on Saturday 30 June 2018.  There's a daytime performance at 3pm, and a night-time performance at 9.30pm.

We look forward to seeing you there!

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here.

And if you come to a Bell Square event – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

Great audience reaction

from C-12 Dance Theatre's fantastic show Trolleys

While most people might be out doing their weekly shop on a Saturday afternoon, the shopping trolleys assembled in Bell Square last week were being put to a much better use.

They were playing a starring role in Trolleys, a stunning contemporary dance work by C-12 Dance Theatre which was performed twice to a fantastic audience. Both shows were incredibly well received and we had a lovely tweet from someone in the audience.

Visited my first @BellSquareLDN event and @C12DANCETHEATRE were amazing. Look forward to the next show in couple of weeks.#hounslow #entertainment #highstreet

— Vinal K Karania (@vkkarania) June 2, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

We also filmed the event by doing a Facebook Live broadcast which has been viewed a lot since the event and it also captures some of the crowd feedback - a lot of 'Oohs', 'Aaaahs' and 'Encores' as you will see (and hear) in the video below.

So what is Trolleys?

The story is a simple one - five shopping trolleys randomly appear and two of them meet and fall in love. 

Moved by the dancers, the trolleys spin, glide and slide and this is highly physical - we've never seen dancers spinning trolleys before and we've seen a lot! It's a humorous outdoor performance where high-octane contemporary dance, acrobatics and street dance merge with the extraordinary world of trolleys. It's also quite breathtaking and absorbing with maximum use made of the outdoor space.

If you enjoyed coming along or watching the video, we look forward to seeing you at our next show - Sur Mesure: Sat 16 June, 1pm & 3pm

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here. And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBellSquareLDN%2Fvideos%2F1837926079619494%2F&show_text=1&width=267

Let's celebrate 250 years of circus!

FROM OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Introduction
2018 is the 250th anniversary of the circus and we’ll be celebrating with some fabulous events at Bell Square this summer!

The Birth of Circus
Despite circus being mentioned in Greek and Roman times, the word really only referred to the ‘circular’ amphitheatres used for public performances.  Circus as we know it started in London in 1768.

Philip Astley left his home town of Newcastle-under-Lyme at the age of 17 to join the Light Dragoons cavalry regiment.  He had always loved horses and proved to be an outstanding horseman in the army.  Seven years later, having reached the rank of Sergeant-Major, he left the army and was given his favourite horse, Gibraltar, as a leaving gift.

In 1768, finding a patch of waste land (now under Waterloo Station), he drew a circle on the ground.  Here, he and his wife Patty taught riding in the morning and put on shows for the public in the afternoon.  Along with horseback acrobatics, he presented clowns and jugglers, and his wife Patty rode a horse surrounded by a swarm of bees!  The circus, as we know it today, was born.  

A year later, he acquired a better site near Westminster Bridge and set up a circus with 3-tiered wooden seating (just as we have at Bell Square today!).  The shows became more elaborate with fireworks, and acts including a man and a dog on a tightrope.

These spectacular shows started to tour around the UK and Astley built several permanent amphitheatres which were just as intricate and ornate as the theatres and opera houses of the time.

Within a few years of 1768, many new circuses set up, usually run by circus families such as Barnum’s, and quickly spread across Europe and then onto America.  They became a huge commercial success, attracting many thousands of people to their performances. They continued to develop, with animals such as big cats and elephants joining in the early 1800s, and freak shows later.

The start of ‘Contemporary Circus’
In the 1970s, ‘contemporary circus’ emerged as a reaction to this traditional form of circus with its animals, ringmasters and suchlike, all in a ‘big top’ tent.  Contemporary circus still brings us the clowns, the trapeze artists, the jugglers, the high-wire acts - the skills and daring that we associate with circus.  It still has all the flying, the falling, the fear and the beauty, the gasps and the cheers.

But it has spread its wings, finding a place in parks, in theatres, on a piece of waste land, and on the street.  It has broadened its form, sometimes including a narrative, and often combining with other artforms such as dance, or theatre, or big sculptural structures.

But at its heart, it is still about the astounding skills of the performers - and the awe and wonder of their audience.

The Circus at Bell Square
This summer, some of the finest contemporary circus companies in Europe will perform at Bell Square in celebration of its 250th anniversary.  With London being the birthplace of this fabulous artform, where better to celebrate!

From France, from Belgium and from here in the UK, with all their different styles, scales and skills, these companies show the diversity of circus in 2018.

In June, we welcome Sur Mesure from Belgium with their dazzling acrobatics and live band.

In July, we have the fabulous Gandinis, combining juggling and dance - and taking juggling to completely new heights.

In August, come and see the high-wire artists of Cirque Rouages tell their story of lost love.

And in September, watch one of the UK’s most exciting circus companies, Ockham’s Razor, surf and ride their beautiful wooden structure in The Belly of the Whale.

An exhibition of Circus
And when the performances are over, the circus keeps on going!  From the autumn, a new exhibition telling the story of circus from 250 years ago to the present day will tour Hounslow’s libraries.

This fascinating exhibition has been created by Cathy Haill, the circus historian at the V&A, especially for Hounslow.  

It has been commissioned by Creative People & Places Hounslow in collaboration with the Borough’s Libraries.  Follow CPP Hounslow twitter to be the first to find out more - @CPPHounslow

So, roll up, roll up the circus is coming to town!
And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.
2018 Circus performances at Bell Square
16 June, 1.00pm & 3.00pm:   Sur Mesure -  Fillage

28 July, 1.00pm & 3.00pm:  Gandini Juggling and Seeta Patel Dance Company - Sigma

25 August, 8.00pm:  Cirque Rouages - …Sodade…

8 September, check website for times: Ockham’s Razor - The Belly of the Whale.
For full details, visit our What’s On pages here.
 

A VIEW FROM BELL SQUARE’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: THE ROLE OF THE CHOREOGRAPHER IN OUR NEXT SHOW, ‘TROLLEYS’

Introduction

On Saturday 2 June, the hugely successful, international touring show, Trolleys, comes to Bell Square.  Bizarrely, the idea for this show came out of an advert for Riva Coffee that Australian choreographer Shaun Parker made in 2007!

So how does a choreographer develop these ideas?

Trolleys

Part dance.  Part ballet.  Five guys on shopping trolleys perform an extraordinary outdoor spectacle.  Choreographed by Shaun Parker, and performed by London-based C-12 Dance Theatre, Trolleys enthrals and amazes.

Five shopping trolleys randomly appear on the Square.  Two meet and fall in love.  Another has an argument with a stranger who then becomes a friend.  Three others revolt and ignite a dance of anarchy.

Set to pounding electro-acoustic music, the trolleys spin, glide and slide in a show that is both heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. 

The show is an international collaboration between C-12 Dance Theatre, a company based in East London, and Shaun Parker who lives and works in Sydney.

The role of the choreographer

A choreographer designs and creates dance, as a composer writes music or a writer creates a play.  The choreographer specifies the movements of the dancers, and the speed, energy and feel of the dance piece.  As dance does not usually have a spoken text, the choreographer creates a piece of dance that conveys emotions or tells a story through movement.

The choreographer then directs rehearsals, teaching the dancers how to perform the various sequences of movement in the piece.

Shaun Parker

Shaun Parker was initially a very successful dancer, touring internationally with some of Australia’s leading dance companies and national theatre companies. 

After 17 years of performing around the world - and experiencing the work of many choreographers - he decided to return home to Sydney to work as a choreographer himself.  He says: ‘With choreography, I never chose it; it chose me’.  He goes on to explain: ‘I was about 36 and I thought:  I have to do my own thing and set up my own company.’

So in 2010, Shaun Parker & Company was born.  Now, he is an award-winning choreographer whose work has included film, television, and live dance shows in iconic venues such as the Sydney Opera House.  He has also worked commercially on music videos and advertising campaigns.

His TV advert for Australian-brand Riva Coffee (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgNsFFbFfeM) wowed TV and cinema viewers, as four dancers danced with their supermarket trolleys, finally reaching for the coffee and sending it down the checkout conveyor belt!  Shaun immediately saw the potential to develop this idea into a full-length dance performance.  And through connections in London, he hooked up with C-12 Dance Theatre to collaborate on making the new show.

Shaun’s approach as a choreographer

In talking about his approach and style, Shaun says: ‘My work is very human.  When I create dance, I want people to be moved and to feel and to think, and to become lost in the performance.  I want to use art, dance and music to remind people of their humanness, to celebrate empathy, and to inspire us to strive to become more than society’s limitations placed upon us.’

In an interview with Jodie McNeilly for Tanz Connexions (Dance Connections), Shaun discussed how he sees his work as Australian. ‘What makes my work typically Australian is the physicality of the dancers, which is a signature of most Australian dancers.  This has a lot to do with growing up outdoors, doing a lot of sport, being under the sun with all that space.  Our dance studios are big and so it is possible to ‘whack up a leg’, making our dances expansive, spacious and hyper physical.’

He also readily admits that he has a naughty sense of humour and this cheekiness is evident in many of his shows!

Trolleys shows all this style and humour and is very demanding for the dancers.  Shaun says:  ‘Trolleys is very athletic, merging contemporary, acrobatic and street dance with the extraordinary world of trolleys.  Soaring patterns of the music visually match the movements of the trolleys.  It is very emotive and quite beautiful. Using an everyday, mundane object that takes on human qualities, we tell a story that draws you in’.

Come and see Trolleys at Bell Square on Saturday 2 June 2018 at either 1.00pm or 3.00pm.

We look forward to seeing you there.

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here.

And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

Bell Square starts the season with Akademi performing Sufi:Zen

Well wasn't May 19 just the perfect weather for a Royal Wedding and perhaps even an FA Cup Final? And of course, it was even more perfect for our first event of the year at Bell Square, featuring Akademi and the very popular Sufi:Zen.

You can check out the daytime performance in this Facebook Live video below - unusually the dancers were wearing shoes and the reason was because the black material on the staged area was very hot due to the sun beating down on it all day. The evening event proved to be a bit cooler and we were delighted to host large crowds for both events.

//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fv%2Ft42.9040-29%2F10000000_2085246048466181_8129727720952168448_n.mp4%3F_nc_cat%3D0%26efg%3DeyJybHIiOjEwMzMsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJzZCJ9%26rl%3D1033%26vabr%3D574%26oh%3Df5c4e37c16aff480f708392e7ea280db%26oe%3D5B02D438&src_secure=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBellSquareLDN%2Fvideos%2F1823125231099579%2F&image=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fv%2Ft15.0-10%2F30827960_1823136551098447_2409756757938143232_n.jpg%3F_nc_cat%3D0%26oh%3D42f63496686733a3aced7f43028ba23d%26oe%3D5B82511C&key=61d05c9d54e8455ea7a9677c366be814&type=video%2Fmp4&schema=facebook&wmode=opaque

We have had some brilliant feedback on social media as well which we are really pleased with such as this tweet from @Kamalpreet

Thinking back to yesterday evening and watching a Sufi dance by @Akademi in #Hounslow, @BellSquareLDN. A cultural experience in 'Hounslow Quality' (as captured in the photo). pic.twitter.com/650FWwL2kT

— kamalpreet (@kamalpreetkb) May 20, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

And this lovely post from @ambikajois on @instagram - please share your great experiences too as we read all the messages sent and love to hear your stories.

Met this lovely piece of sunshine @unnatid yesterday after years, at @bellsquareldn's showcase of the finest talent 'Sufi-Zen' by @akademidance featuring @architakumar29, @jesalpatel_is, @manuela_benini and #CidShaha. Such a vibrant a fierce performance from the team. Great to be back in London and witnessing some of the underrated transformations in the artistic world. If you haven't seen these guys yet, please do!

A post shared by AMBIKA JOIS (@ambikajois) on May 20, 2018 at 5:19am PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

Next month we have C-12 Dance Theatre performing Trolleys on Saturday 2 June, 1pm & 3pm

We look forward to seeing you there.

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here.

And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

From our Artistic Director: A Preview of the Spring & Summer Season

Come to an amazing array of outdoor performance from the UK & abroad. Bell Square returns for 2018 with a packed programme of amazing outdoor performance.  

From May to August, you can see 8 world-class shows at our permanent outdoor arts space in Hounslow.

These extraordinary shows come from some of the best artists in the UK and from across Europe – in the first few months, we have shows from France and Italy, Belgium and Catalonia, as well as from the UK.  The programme also brings many other influences from around the world, including international choreographers and different cultural styles.

They also bring a wonderful mix of dance, theatre, music and circus.   2018 is the 250th anniversary of the birth of circus in London – and we will join in the national celebrations throughout the year with our own programme of contemporary circus at Bell Square.

Most importantly, this new programme of events will bring together our local communities to laugh, play, watch in awe - and contemplate the stories of life that affect us all.

And to do this together in our public space, where everyone is welcome to come along and watch for free.

The season opens on 19 May with the return of Hounslow favourites, Akademi, with their renowned show, Sufi Zen.  This beautiful dance performance explores the stillness of Zen monks and the passion of Sufi mystics. Evoking a cultural landscape that extends from Persia to Japan, Sufi Zen exists in a world of contrasts, of calmness and energy, and ice and fire.

June is then all about fun!  London-based C-12 Dance Theatre bring their show, Trolleys.  A collaboration with famed Australian choreographer, Shaun Parker, Trolleys is part dance, part ballet, and part outdoor spectacle – it is a ballet for five shopping trolleys!  This is high octane contemporary dance, acrobatics and street dance, merged with the extraordinary world of trolleys!

Then the circus comes to town.  Sur Mesure from Belgium bring their show, Fillage, combining circus and live music in a show set on a sunny afternoon at the beach.  Sax, trumpet, trombone, guitar, singing, and even an enormous sousaphone, accompany the fun and frolics, juggling and acrobatics - and all on a giant trampoline!

At the end of June, urban dance hits Bell Square from St Etienne in France.  Cie Dyptik perform D-Construction, a show that questions the profound nature of social links in public space.  What unites us? What separates us? What federates us? And to what extent are we able to question territories, borders and institutions?  The show is performed on a giant cage, with the audience up close, in the midst of the action.

In July, we welcome back Insectotropics, the outstanding Catalan company that brought their dark retelling of Red Riding Hood to Bell Square in 2015.  Using their trademark mix of digital projections, live painting and performance, The Legend of the Burning Man tells the story of Mohammed Bouazizi who sparked the Arab Spring when he set himself on fire in protest at the authorities in Tunisia.  The show examines the spread of news across the internet, how social media offers partial and self-interested perspectives, and how public opinion and feelings are manipulated. Who controls what we believe?

Next up is Gandini Juggling, a London-based company led by Sean Gandini who make extraordinary shows, challenging everybody’s assumptions about what juggling can be.  The Gandinis often collaborate with other artists and in Sigma, they worked with Seeta Patel, one of the UK’s leading Bharatnatyam dancers, to combine contemporary circus with Indian dance.  The rhythms of the dance are reflected in the patterns of the juggling – completely entrancing! We are really delighted to have this show at Bell Square as it was made here in Hounslow, at Watermans, last summer before going to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and scoring a string of 4 and 5 star reviews.  Welcome home to this one!

In August, Stalker Teatro come from Turin in Italy for their visit to Bell Square.  Stalker work with people to make social theatre. In Steli, the artists and audience work together to build a giant construction of colourful wooden sticks.  The project is inspired by how we live in cities today and allows us to build something beautiful together.

On the August bank holiday weekend, we welcome back Cirque Rouages from France with their stunning, night-time circus show.  A nostalgic story of love and loss, longing, memories and survival is told by two musicians playing and singing on a huge circus structure of wheels and tightropes.  My greatest disappointment last year was when torrential rain stopped this show going ahead at Bell Square – and there were many people who had come to see it who were very disappointed, too.  It is a beautiful and completely enchanting performance as dusk fades into darkness - so we decided to try again. This year, the weather is going to be perfect!

Check out the full details at www.bellsquarelondon.com.  And let us know what you think of the 2018 programme on twitter @BellSquareLDN or Facebook – BellSquareLDN.

Special thanks to Arts Council England and LB Hounslow for their support of the programme.

From our Artistic Director: Never Work with Animals!

In the depths of winter, the Bell Square events take a break.  On these cold, dark February days, my mind often wanders back to the balmy days of summer when we were out on the Square, remembering some of the shows, having chats with the audience, and working with some truly lovely artists. And it also wanders back sometimes to the little things that, just occasionally, didn’t go quite to plan….

Never work with animals… ‘Never work with animals’ is good, sage advice for anyone working in the arts.  It is a lesson which should be absorbed as soon as possible by anyone starting out in the arts.  Whenever I have digressed from this advice, it has always ended badly.  A donkey falling off the stage into the orchestra pit.  A bat flying loose above the audience.  Diana Rigg, playing Cleopatra, wrestling with a hot and feisty snake as she prepared to thrust the ‘asp to her bosom’.  I could write a book on this topic, never mind a blog post.

This sage advice, though, never mentioned animals in the audience.  When we’re not at Bell Square, we all work at Watermans, the arts centre in Brentford.  In a venue, only highly trained and perfectly behaved guide dogs or assistance dogs generally come to events.  (There are odd exceptions, of course.)

But out at Bell Square, things are different.   Alongside the audience gathered for the event, passers-by often stop to watch what’s going on.  And sometimes furry passers-by stop to watch, too…

Dogs There have been many dogs at Bell Square events over the years – large, small, young and a bit giddy, some old and just glad of a lie-down at the side of the Square whilst their owner watches a show.  Some join in with a few barks when the audience cheers a circus artist for an impressive performance.  But none has put a foot wrong - or a paw.

Cats Cats.  I know cats.  And I know they have their own minds.  Four years of regular events have proven to me that cats do not like outdoor arts – there is never a cat in the audience.  Alternatively, there are no cats in Hounslow town centre.  Only once did a confident black cat turn the corner onto the Square, hesitate barely a second, then stroll nonchalantly across the performance space – whilst the actors just had to wait.

And others…. But it’s not just cats and dogs.  Hounslow is way more interesting than that.  The blue and yellow macaw, often seen on the shoulder of its owner walking around the town centre, has been to events sometimes, watching intently.  And thankfully silently.

Not all our furry and feathered friends are quite so welcome, however.  At the opposite end of the avian spectrum, pigeons make a nuisance of themselves in most urban arts venues.  Pigeons alone would fill a chapter in that book I could write.  Pigeons just walking straight through the front doors of the venue and up to the bar – regularly.  That was in Manchester.  Pigeons moving into the roof space and setting up an instant colony.  And creating the most shocking and appalling sight of my entire life when I went up to see what was making ‘that strange noise’ above the ceiling.  That was also in Manchester.  They are particularly bad pigeons up there.

At Bell Square, the local pigeons have generally not been much trouble. There was just one occasion, when a performer, as part of the show, threw handfuls of rice all over the Square.  And within seconds, every pigeon in Hounslow descended, en masse, Hitchcock-style, over the audience and the Square.  I suppose you could say we brought that (s$*t) on ourselves.

When I write that book, though, I’m sure it will only be Bell Square that has produced a ferret.  It was on a lead.  It came up to the edge of the performance space calmly, quietly, creating no fuss at all.  The show was about to start and a hush had fallen over the audience.  The music had started and the quietly enigmatic dancers of Akademi had walked onto the performance space to begin their show, Sufi Zen.  Yes, a show about Zen.  As the small, creamy coloured weasel paused to watch, a palpable wave of anxiety spread through the audience.  All focus on the dancers was lost, and the first person to scream unleashed an unimaginable cacophony of horror and fear from the assembled crowd.  The ferret, and its owner, sensing their presence was unwelcome, shuffled off up the High Street.  After some time, a suitable calm prevailed and the show could begin…again.

What next? So, Hounslow, who else are you going to bring to the shows this year?  There must be some rabbits out there who might like circus?

Happy New Year from Bell Square - a poem from us

Welcome to 2018 and we would like to take the opportunity to share with you another great piece of writing from one of our attendees.

Bell Square Ambassador Catherine watched FlameOz, our last event of 2017, and wrote this joyous, beautiful poem, read it in full below

Flame OZ

Tonight was a performance by Flame OZ

It left the crowd in awes

The three fire musketeers

Receive all our cheers

For they filled us with delight

With their amazing fire light

There were pendulums of light

That were a fiery sight

Although their actions seemed random

They moved in tandem

Next was the light sabre

That created many a chamber

Of hearts and butterflies

Mimicking a thousand fireflies

The finale had fountains of light

The sizzling flares

Made everyone forget their cares

Not minding the scorches from torches

Faces in the blaze aglow

As ‘Merry Xmas’ flashed

Their steps matched

Everyone was soon mellow

Voices began to soon bellow

Praises and claps from every fellow

---- ends ----

Thank you again Catherine for your great contribution, we love poetry!

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here - news of 2018 upcoming events will be announced shortly.

And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

A BEAUTIFUL POEM FROM BELL SQUARE AMBASSADOR CATHERINE

Our ever popular Winter Lights event was held at Bell Square recently - and as you can see from the photo gallery it's a dazzling and beautiful for everyone that comes along.  As always, it's a free event and everyone is welcome.

One of our Bell Square Ambassadors Catherine came along and was inspired to write this beautiful poem, read it in full below

WINTER LIGHTS

The ceremony of winter lights

A harbinger of many cold nights

Lit up with many-hued beacons of hope

Held by the future of tomorrow

& yesterday’s shadow

Making memories new

And brushing old ones anew

At the church, a sea of illuminated creatures

Heard the mayor praise Hounslow’s features

She sparked the fire

Of Hounslow’s desire

Up went the gargantuan bell held by a rope

As did the lady on the tight rope

There resounded in the air

An echo, as a hundred rockets did flare

And the speakers did blare

Hounslow was the place to be

For all those who did dare!

- Catherine Habbie

Thank you Catherine - we love your writing and poetry!

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here

And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

A Review of Guixot de 8 from Bell Square Ambassadors Navya and Thara

Guixot de 8 took up residence in Bell Square earlier this month and here is the view from the eyes of two of our junior Bell Square bloggers Navya and Thara.

And here it is, along with some great photos they took as well:

On Saturday 4th November, we went to Bell Square to see the Guixot de 8 games. We saw many games and they were all unique and something we had never seen before. They were made of old reused parts of bicycles and kitchen utensils such as pans and spoons.

As a person who’s only seen newly built toys, this was a great opportunity to have fun with old but new games. It was interesting to see how creative the builders from Barcelona had been and how they used physics to make games without using electricity. We really enjoyed playing all the games and how difficult they were. They all required different skills and determination. 

We saw all the children and also many adults trying to succeed in the games. They got frustrated but were still very invested in achieving the aim of the games. 

Overall this was a great experience and something we’d love to do again.

Thanks again to Navya and Thara for coming along and they took some great photos which you can see here.

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here

And if you are attending Bell Square events – don’t forget to share your experiences on social media using the #BellSquareLDN hash tag.

A View From Bell Square's Artistic Director: Ray Lee Presents Chorus

Something strange is going to land in Bell Square.  What are these giant machines, these futuristic creations from a bygone age?  Where have they come from? 

Towering high in the air, a series of metal tripods stand like three-legged giant insects.  Their rotating arms have loudspeakers that create pulsating, harmonic music.  Red lights on the arms whirl around like planets in motion, producing orbits of colour.  These rings of light, high above us, combined with the hypnotic sounds, are really quite transfixing. 

This strange thing that will soon appear is Chorus, a monumental installation of giant, moving sculptures with spinning sound machines. 

I saw this installation at a festival last year. It was a bitterly cold January night with a biting wind and frost on the ground.  I am a fairly hardy outdoor arts programmer and used to being outside in all weathers but the temptation of a hot cup of coffee in a nice warm café would normally have been too much, even for me, to resist that night.  But then I saw Chorus in the distance, towering in the crisp night sky!  Hot cups of coffee were forgotten!

Standing 5 metres high, each tripod turns at different speeds to give changing sounds and rhythms. Together, they sound like a celestial choir.  You can wander amongst the installation, appreciating the different voice of each machine and its place in the 'chorus'.  The music of these machines is absolutely beautiful - abstract, gentle sounds that draw you in, so you don't want to leave. 

These amazing machines are the work of British artist, composer and performer, Ray Lee.  He has created many large-scale music installations which have toured the world and won him many awards, including the British Composer of the Year Award in 2012. 

His big fascination is with how scientists and philosophers talk about the universe, and his spinning sound sculptures are inspired by 'circles of ether', the invisible forces that surround us. 

Long ago, early scientists believed that ether filled the whole of space.  Even as modern science developed a new understanding of the universe, we still talk about 'the ether' - like something has 'vanished into the ether'. We think of the clear sky, the upper regions of the air above the clouds, or the heavens.  The 'ether' has also been said to be full of radio waves - and that it is through ether that sound waves pass.

Ray Lee says, 'I am fascinated by the way science represents our view of the universe.  I have a child-like fascination with radios, radio waves, magnetism. There is a magic in turning on the radio and receiving signals through the ether - or in holding 2 magnets in your hands and feeling this invisible force pulling your hands together or pushing them apart'.

Chorus is not only a sculpture or installation – it is also a performance.  The sculptures, or machines, make sound. When the machines move, it changes the sound, so the idea of this being a live performance is important.  There is a relationship between the audience, the artists, and the machines.  Audiences talk about Chorus as 'an experience' rather than about it having a specific meaning.  

The artist hopes that we find a space, a moment, for contemplation, that takes us outside our everyday lives.  A place where we don't have to explain our experience, but that lets our minds drift off among the stars. 

As darkness falls at Bell Square on Saturday, 2 December, the machines will start to sing their siren call.  Come and see them at 4.30pm, 5.30pm or 6.30pm. 

A VIEW FROM BELL SQUARE'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: STREET GAMES FROM BARCELONA

Guixot de 8 is a Spanish company that make street games.  Using recycled materials, they make original games in their workshop in Barcelona.  They pack the games into a van and go wherever they are invited.  They then set up the games in the street and play with anyone who wants to try their hand.

Guixot de 8, led by creative force Joan Rovira, have been making street games since 1991.  They have been to 30 countries in all 5 continents.  Joan says they have made about 300 games which has given new life to about 10 tons of scrap!

Guixot de 8

Spain has a deep-rooted love of games in the street.  These are usually well-known, popular games – and also ‘cucan

a’ which involve endless variations of climbing up, or along. a greasy pole in celebration of different festivals and other special occasions in small towns across Spain!  But Guixot de 8 were the first to create sets of original games and turn them into a street show.

Since then, many more companies dedicated to street games have emerged – Tombs Creatius, Toc de Fusta, Itinerània, Katakrak and others.  Talking with Joan, he explains that the best companies have developed their own style such as games made of wood, or traditional games made in giant versions for the street.

I have seen many of these street games in different places and they are always a magnet for children and adults alike.  It is lovely for anyone, and perhaps especially an adult, to stop and play in the street with other people.  It is genuine fun, completely absorbing.  And easy to find that you have been very happily distracted from whatever else you may have been doing!

Guixot de 8

There is something timeless about these street games.  They are not new, shiny, the latest thing, not digital, not even electric.  Each one is carefully made by hand and is quite beautiful and special, based on simple physical and mechanical principles.  I asked Joan why, in a time when people have access to so many digital games, he thinks people find these hand-made street games so appealing.

Joan Rovira:  ‘I think it’s because they are an alternative to screen games.  I think that playing with simple physics is attractive.  Physics has a poetry that captivates you.  Also, the games seem easy but they are not!  It makes people keep trying, over and over again.  When playing the games, people are all children – just of different heights!’

One of the things I love about these games is that you just start playing them with people you don’t know.  They are so much larger than the games you might have at home, so they contain an implicit invitation to play with them as a community.

Joan says that they often create a very trusting relationship between people.  ‘Sometimes, someone takes a person’s bag, and then passes it to another person to keep, whilst the owner is playing.  This is a bit unthinkable in current times, but it has happened many times’. 

‘People also learn from each other – passing on what they have learned from the person playing before.  People give each other advice and applaud those who succeed.  People will chase after a ball that has fallen out of the game for others’.

‘People laugh together, people smile, people think.’

Cia Katakrak

So often at Bell Square, people say the events bring people together and make them feel connected to others in their community.

Let’s take our public space and play games together!  See you on Saturday, 4 November!

Guixot de 8 bring their Street Games to Bell Square on Saturday 4 November from 10.00 am - 1.00 pm, and again from 2.00 – 5.00 pm.

A View from Bell Square's Artistic Director: Stage or Street? Iron Skulls at Bell Square

Next up at Bell Square is Spanish dance company, Iron Skulls, with their show, Sinestesia. 

A few months ago, this show played at Sadlers Wells in central London, generally considered to be one of the world’s premier venues for international dance.  A review described the show as “fast, furious, streetwise and great fun” and “brilliant, high octane!” 

So, can a show transfer successfully from the main stage at a traditional dance theatre to the gritty, urban environment of a city street?  Well, this is street dance – and I would say the street is where it truly belongs!

Seeing a performance in a theatre, and seeing it outdoors, is a very different experience.  I will be first in the queue to see a great piece of dance in a theatre – there can be something very special about the intensity and focus that this type of space brings.

But I also love seeing performance in a public space.  This is for everyone.  There are no conventions here, no artificial barriers - you can sit, stand, move around, enjoy the show however you like.  There is often a very direct connection between the audience and artists in an outdoor setting.  The artists are very close to you and the experience feels very real - sometimes quite raw.

Shows meant for indoors and outdoors are therefore usually quite different in style.  Very few shows work well both indoors and outdoors, because the context is so very different. 

Iron Skulls, though, is one of the few companies that perform successfully both indoors and outdoors, even with the same show - they understand how to adapt their shows for different environments.

Iron Skulls Company, based in Barcelona, is a dance collective that started in 2013, formed from a group of B-Boys called Iron Skulls Crew.  B-Boying is a form of street dance started by young Puerto Ricans and African Americans in the mid-1970s on the streets of the Bronx.  The Iron Skulls dancers come from across Spain and bring diverse influences to the group – contemporary dance, hip hop, martial arts and acrobatics.  They also interweave music production, fashion and graphic design, creating a very distinctive style of urban dance.

The “virtuosic, visual drama” of Iron Skulls (Guardian) has successfully graced the stages of the world’s most famous dance theatres.  It has also toured to many of the most famous outdoor festivals.  In 2017 alone, they have performed in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Gibraltar, the USA and Costa Rica, in addition to Spain and the UK.

I saw this show outdoors in a huge public square in rural Spain. It was great.  I also saw it with an audience of about 8000 other people, which did create a special kind of atmosphere!

But for me, the soul of Sinestesia is on the street.  And I think I will like this show best of all when I see it at Bell Square – on a city street where it truly belongs.

Come and decide for yourself – and let us know what you think!

Iron Skulls Company perform Sinestesia at Bell Square on Saturday 7 October.  There will be an afternoon performance at 2.30 pm and a ‘night-time’ performance at 6.30 pm.  The show lasts 25 minutes.

Blogger in Residence London Unattached reviews Teatr Biuro Podróży presents Silence

Lucy from London Unattached came to Bell Square for the first time recently – here’s her first impressions of the space, performance and the crowd:

I believe that theatre is for everyone, so when you discover a dynamic space like Bell Square in Hounslow, which is host to a fabulous outdoor art’s festival right in the heart of the town centre what’s not to love. This is a place where anyone and everyone of any age can access exciting theatre and performance from the UK and all around the world.

You can read the full blog here

You can follow London Unattached on social media here:

To keep up with upcoming events, visit our What’s On pages here