Photo by Andrew Moore

Celebrated alternative circus company NoFit State are set to arrive in Docklands armed with bundles of bamboo for their appearance at Certain Blacks Ensemble Festival on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July.
 
Their new touring show BAMBOO sees them arrive at an empty space where they’ll build towering sculptures, creating an improbable, delicate circus playground as live music, comedy and feats of strength and agility take centre stage.
 
NoFit State Circus celebrate what’s possible when humans and the natural world trust each other and work in harmony. Ahead of their appearance at Ensemble Festival we explored the ins and outs of BAMBOO, both the show and the material, in a chat with their creative director Tom Rack.

Run Riot: Hello Tom, can you describe BAMBOO, the current touring piece from NoFit State? How is the tour going and what can audiences expect to see?
 
Tom Rack: So far the tour has been fantastic. We have performed in a wide verity of places and settings - from big city centre arts festivals in the UK, France and Ireland to scenic rural landscapes in Wales. In each location, BAMBOO takes on a new meaning and makes a different statement. At it’s heart, it is a circus show in which the building of structures is integral to the performance - the circus is embedded in the movement, action and mechanics of building, climbing, inhabiting structures as the performers use their circus skills in very new and different ways.

Run Riot: BAMBOO has been in development over a period of time while you experimented with using it as a structural material. Why did you choose bamboo to work with?
 
Tom: BAMBOO is amazing. It is actually a grass, which means it grows super fast and is an incredible carbon sink. When you cut it, it grows back so it is a wholly regenerative, sustainable material. It is also incredibly strong, sometimes referred to as ‘21st century steel’. We wanted to explore what kind of circus structures, skills and stories we could create with bamboo. Being flexible, it behaves very differently than any traditional circus apparatus: it moves and bends - and sometimes, breaks. We have been exploring what kinds of circus can only be done with bamboo. The wobble and sway brings an exciting edge and sense of jeopardy to the performance, as well as celebrating a powerful and playful relationship between humans and nature.

Run Riot: How durable is it as a material and how adaptable? How have the performers found it to work with?

Tom: It’s taken some getting used to, and for the performers to feel confident of what it they can and can’t do on it. Circus artists are not used to having things shift and flex underneath them. But with it being so light and strong, we can build big structures very quickly and get high up above the crowds.

Run Riot: Where is your bamboo sourced from? Can you tell us about the sustainable aspects of the whole show?

Tom: All of our bamboo is grown in the UK and comes from a variety of places and people we have met through our connection with the Imagine Bamboo project, run by Imagineer Productions and Orit Azaz. Our sound system is powered by the sun and the whole show travels in one trailer and one minibus. Thinking about how we can tread more lightly on the planet is important to us and the portability of the show means we can perform anywhere as long as it’s flat and not raining.

Although it’s not by any means a show about the environment, we feel that using UK grown bamboo to create a joyful outdoor circus show tells that story without us having to.

Run Riot: Tell us about the performers taking part, and your own backgrounds working with NoFit State.

Tom: I’ve been with NoFit State since the beginning and it’s been great to work with Orit Azaz as Co-Artistic Director and Mish Weaver as Director for BAMBOO, both of whom have been long term collaborators with NoFit State.

Some of the show’s performers have worked with us before in different shows. We spent a long time looking at what circus skills transfer best to the bamboo. Three of the team are Chinese pole specialists who bring a lot of useful technique to it. We also have a hand-to-hand, acrobatic and banquine trio who are able to throw each other around and up to the top of the bamboo structures, which gives us lots of scope.  We have amazing one man multi-instrumentalist musician and, of course, Tarn, our resident circus engineer who builds everything and climbs it like he’s taking a walk in the park.

All of the performers bring a massive sense of fun and joy to the show so there are lots of laughs as well as gasps of amazement.

Run Riot: Lastly, the Docklands area in high summer should provide an atmospheric setting, how do you envisage your piece BAMBOO taking shape within that space?
 
Tom: It’s going to look great in the Docklands. It fits perfectly in the festival site and can be seen from a long way away. The juxtaposition of bamboo building in such a high profile regeneration area will bring a whole new dimension of meaning and dialogue with the surroundings and residents. We are really excited to be bring the show to London Newham and the Ensemble Festival. We feel sure it’s going to have a big impact.
 
Certain Blacks is at Royal Docks from 1-8pm on July 20 and 21 and is completely free, suitable for all ages, for more information, updates and timings, please visit certainblacks.com
 
BAMBOO is a NoFit State production directed by Mish Weaver, in collaboration with Orit Azaz and Imagineer Productions. It is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, the Foyle Foundation, and Without Walls, and commissioned by Stockton International Riverside Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Hat Fair and Timber Festival.


Photo by Jon Street.