ENTERTAINERS

 

Happy Ending on the Farm for Renaissance Couple

by Russ Kaufman photos by M. Hauptschein  

 

Nick Newlin has come a long way on the renaissance festival circuit.

Seven years ago, as Nicolo the Gypsy Juggler, he did only juggling. Granted, it included some excellent work in numbers and multiplex juggling.

 

Much further down the road now, he is performing in the same venue, and many others, with partner Joanne Flynn, the Queen of Whimsey. Now the duo perform a complete renaissance variety show that includes juggling, witty dialogue, musical entertainment and even a brave, trained rooster named Roderick that fearlessly jumps through a flaming hoop! They also maintain their own solo acts, and do jobs outside the renaissance circuit from their base in the Maryland countryside.

 

Specific juggling during their renaissance show includes a five ball steal by Whimsey from Nicolo, "huggling," (Nicolo and Whimsey hug each other and juggle three clubs behind each others back), comic  three club takeaways, and a finale that sees Whimsey on the slack rope passing six torches with Nicolo standing on the ground. At the same time, he balances a "chickee flambe of extreme danger," a mouthstick on which is balanced a pole with a rotating, curved, flaming metal rod at the top.

 

The couple does only about three renaissance festivals a year now ­Maryland , Scarborough Fair near Dallas and the Boston Fair. They are more content to stay closer to home, where they care for three mules, a donkey, a pig, two chickens, a dog and a talking starling. (Yes! Whimsey points out that starlings are related to myna birds!)

 

They take up the performing slack with shows and teaching in local schools and organizations such as the Maryland Arts Council, the Arlington Humanities Project and the Fairfax County Arts Program.

 

In the off-season, they and other artists form the Chesapeake Vaudeville Review, where Whimsey plays the saxophone and Nicolo the jazz piano. They also recently decided to become involved with the National Association of Campus Activities, in hopes of booking more college jobs.