You Won't Regret St. Brice if You're Europe Bound

by Paul Anderson

 

I did some festival-hopping last summer in Europe, and just had to write about "Juggle, Juggle, Juggle, Jonglissimo," a fantastic regional festival in St. Brice (near Reims), France. The only negative aspect was that it only lasted three days! I could have stayed a week!

 

One of the nice things was the support of townspeople. Besides serving breakfast to the 200 jugglers both Saturday and Sunday, the Mayor treated us all to a drink in the town square!

 

Workshops in clowning, three balls, unicycling and "flying Fish" were led by three professionals hired to perform in the public show. Kevin Brooking, an American who has lived in Europe for many years, presented crazy, refreshing ideas about performing. Arcadii Poupone, a Russian who teaches at the circus schools in Kiev and Brussels, led a four-hour class in technique, and there was never a dull moment. He has trained many top-notch jugglers over the years, including Viktor Kee, who some might remember as the headliner at the EJA convention in Hagen in 1994. Tim Robert, an American who now leads the finishing school for professionals at the French national circus school in Chalons­sur-Marne, led a workshop in the business of juggling.

 

This was also the festival to attend if you like shows. There was an open stage prior to the public show, and the acts there would have been main acts at most festivals. It started with Kevin Brooking doing some of his clown trumpet routine, making the improbable look like normal. But, of course, that's what a clown is supposed to do! Imer, a Parisian juggler, performed an amazing, magical contact juggling routine, beginning with one crystal ball and then keeping three rolling around his body while dancing effortlessly around the stage. The fact that he's only been juggling for 2-1/2 years made it even more incredible. Viktor Kee was the closing act. Not bad for an open stage show!

 

Organizers decided that the public show should feature a small number of groups doing complete shows, rather than more jugglers doing short bits. This year's show featured Richard Turner and the theatrical group, The Argonautes.

 

Turner, a former juggling teacher at the circus school in Brussels, did a theatrical comedy three ball routine, demonstrating all the things that can go wrong in a juggling show. He was a good build-up to The Argonautes. These four talented circus artists presented a love triangle in which two men fought on an unsupported ladder and tall unicycle over a person they thought was a woman. The fight was instigated and refereed by the fourth member, who played a fool whose right hand had a life of its own. In the end the woman turns out to be a man and the fool falls for him. This story was set in an imaginary place complete with revolving doors and multi-levels that made for interesting theatrical effects.

 

It was a wonderful festival! If you're planning to be in Europe in the summer, definitely put "Jonglissimo" in St. Brice on your itinerary. I hope to see you there!