Whether training with the notoriously daring Cuban circus performers, or collaborating with physical theatre expert Flick Ferdinando, the all-female acrobatic trio Mimbre are constantly pushing themselves to reach new creative and technical heights. Founding member Lina Johansson talks to Michelle Draper about Mimbre’s latest production, ‘Trip-Tic’.
When Silvia Fratelli, from Italy, and Swedes Lina Johansson and Emma Norin, met on a circus arts training course at The Circus Space in London in 1996, the three performers hit it off. After their final year show together went down a treat, marking the completion of the two-year course, the trio decided to continue training together, with the intention of ‘breaking a boring tradition in circus and dance of big boys lifting small girls.’
Developing their acrobatic skills to the highest level possible has always been an ambition for Mimbre, who, inspired by their Cuban tutor, Vincente Moreno Espinosa, travelled to Cuba after the completion of their Circus Space course to train at The Circus Arts Professional Centre in Havana.
At first, Johannson recalls, the trio was worried about the attitude of the professional Cuban circus performers towards a group of three females attempting physically demanding and high-risk tricks. But instead, they found support and encouragement.
‘All the groups were amazingly supportive,’ Johansson recalls. Surrounded by positive affirmation and encouragement from the Cuban performers to try challenging acrobatic moves, Johansson says the girls began to feel that what they wanted to achieve, was indeed possible.
‘It gave us quite a high technical level in acrobatics, but also, a lot of inspiration,’ Johansson notes, adding that the Cuban performer’s style of circus emitted a joy and energy that continues to inspire Mimbre performances.
But while earlier efforts were concentrated on sharpening their physical ability to perform tricky moves, the trio’s latest work explores the possibilities for character and narrative in their performances. It’s a development that has grown out of a collaboration with Flick Ferdinando, renowned for her award-winning work with Company F/Z.
Ferdinando, who, along with fellow F/Z performer John Paul Zaccarelli, won a Total Theatre Award at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival for Throat, has worked with Mimbre throughout the development of their latest piece.
‘As well as having a director, she [Ferdinando] has also taught us a lot of physical theatre,’ Johansson explains, describing how the trio explored different ways of moving to illustrate or evoke a certain feeling.
Work on Trip-Tic began last October, when the trio began a research and development phase, looking at how they could use acrobatic performance as a physical language.
‘We wanted to see how we could make imagery, how we could use acrobatics to give a certain feeling, or atmosphere, or a physical character.’
‘We found a way of approaching [the idea]: if you have a character, what acrobatics would that character use?’
Coming from a circus background, Johannson explains, the trio has had limited training in how to build a theatrical character and weave it into a performance.
The group moved into the production phase of the new work in December 2002, involving seven weeks of intense rehearsals spread out over the winter. In the weeks when Mimbre were not rehearsing, the performers would practice acrobatic tricks or further their research.
The result of the collaboration – which also involved Spymonkey’s Toby Park, who composed the accompanying musical score – is Trip-Tic, a piece about three women and secrets, based around a set comprising three towers.
For Mimbre, the research and development process with Ferdinando represented a whole new way of working – and one which Johansson believes was beneficial. ‘It was a really good base to come from,’ she enthuses.
But it’s not to say the group’s technical prowess and ‘wow’ factor has been sidelined, but rather, enriched.
Trip-Tic, which has been co-commissioned by the National Theatre, receives its London premiere as part of the National’s outdoor street arts event, Watch This Space, early next month. But the performance, which has been taking place at a number of festivals around the UK, has already got people talking. And the responses are overwhelmingly positive.
A number of awestruck observers of Mimbre’s performance at this year’s Streets of Brighton Festival were inspired to email praise to the company, while a message posted on the Bath Fringe Festival site congratulated ‘whoever decided to ask Mimbre’ to the festival – and requested the trio be included in further programmes.
After just five years performing together as Mimbre, it looks like the secrets of success have been sown for this enigmatic trio. Watch them grow.
Mimbre are performing at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend, followed by the Winchester Hat Fair July 4-5 and the National Theatre’s ‘Watch This Space’ festival, July 11-12. For more information visit www.mimbre.co.uk
