Castle Convention

 

Cobblestones, burros and firelight ... Europeans learn how it might have been for their busking ancestors.

 

by Toby Philpott and Paul Keast

 

A castle on a rocky mountaintop at the furthest reaches of Sapin, just 20 miles from Africa. The 1986 European Convention in Castellar  de la Frontera, Spain, in September was a meeting in the mountains, not a sports event or a package holiday.

 

But the wind and the sun and the swirl­ng dust and the uneven cobblestoned squares didn't spoil things for most people. Jugglers began to arrive seyeral days early and formed a campsite on an open space beneath the castle walls. There were Moorish  tents o.f sacking, Balls Up's dome, the Circus Hazzard big top for those with sleeping bags, painted vehicles and many small tents. From this place it was a steep walk up the cobbled track to the castle, so a lot of juggling occurred down at base camp. 

 

The local wifdlife was occasionally annoying. Wild pigs regularly ransacked rubbish bags, and mules were always on the lookout for a camping bus with an open door or a camping stove that had something good cooking on it.

 

Friday, 52 people left to perform in the prison in Algeciras. It took a long time for to pass security checks, but the show was exciting. The Butterfly Man "boffed" a prison guard, Michael French pulled coins from the ears and pockets of the prison governor, and a human pyramid of jugglers, showed inmates a way out over the high wall.

 

Jet Set Jesters from Madrid announced both the prison and public shows with an amusing double ad in Spanish and English. Both shows had a good mix of related skills.

 

Saturday's parade got off to a chaotic start. The buses that were supposed to take jugglers to Gibraltar refused to try to negotiate the winding road with its hair­pin turns, so all had to  wander down on foot. Then it took ages to get through the border at Gibraltar. The parade was not finally formed until mid-day, when would-be spectators had gone off for the siesta.

 

A shady spot with a sign proclaiming "no ball playing " was located as a site for games.  No one could think of anything but the five ball endurance contest.  At long last this was won by a European, Michiel Hesseling from Amsterdam, who had to hold out for 9 min. 30 sec. before his last rival dropped out.  Naturally, an impromptu show began.  Hesseling went on to show off his impressive repertoire of five ball tricks, including Mills Mess. Cotton McAloon's ball and club and lots of talking routine showed why he won the Covent Garden Street Entertainer of the Year Award in London last summer.

 

The public show took place the same evening in nearby Algeciras on an open­air stage in a beautiful palm-shaded park. Mercedes did comedy, magic with a member of the audience, Uffe and Co. did their team acrobatics, Charlie Brown and David Lichtenstein did boxes, and the Amazing Larry Vee offered one of his originals involving several hula-hoops, a basketball, a club and several small balls.  Kevin Brooking clowned with tongue and trumpet.  Robert Nelson appeared again, but was unlucky enough to choose a pacifist for the boffing routine.

 

People began to leave Sunday. At a business meeting that morning, Jean-Marc Lucas and Tim Roberts of the Institut Facais de Jonglage emphasized all the comfortable facilities that would be available if next year's convention were held in France.  They mentioned the word "showers" in every other sentence, and won the vote unanimously.  The Institut were in charge of the European convention three years ago in Laval

 

Hermann Klink, who lives in Castellar, organized the 1986 convention with help from Fritz Brehm and other friends.  When the Spanish site was accepted, Brehm said, "So, another soap bubble is launched."  The fragile dream became brief reality, and will become a thiny thread of myth in the huge tapestry of the castel's 2,000 year history.  If you want to visit again, you will probably find jugglers are still welcome.