The London International Mime Festival is about to turn 25. For a quarter of a century, founder and director Joseph Seelig, and Helen Lannaghan – who joined as co-director in 1987 – have presided over a festival which continues to break boundaries and challenge the misconception that ‘mime’ constitutes a white-face-painted performer, trapped in an imaginary box.
At the same time, the duo have witnessed first-hand a growing interest in visual and physical theatre in the UK. While the acts continue to diversify, so too does the audience. Last year, around 24,000 people attended the mime festival, which is spread over two-and-a-half weeks.
But considering the event continues to explore new territories across the performing arts – incorporating circus, clowning, masks, animation and visual theatre – is ‘mime’ becoming an outdated description, I wonder?
‘We’ve clung on to it… because it’s kind of the stick that’s used to beat us with,’ Lannaghan muses. ‘But the thing is… [there is] an 82% [capacity] attendance over all events, over a two-and-a-half week period. Maybe we take a perverse pleasure in sticking to the term.’
‘We really do believe in keeping a festival true to a central idea… and for us that is to make a festival where what you see is far more important than what you hear, because that blows all boundaries.’
While this agenda has nurtured an eclectic annual programme, Lannaghan is not just referring to ‘boundaries’ in regards to content, but also, the accessibility of non text-based works to a wider, more inclusive audience.
‘It doesn’t matter what age you are… whether you are a hearing person or deaf, whether you speak English or you don’t, there really is something for everyone in the festival programme,’ she affirms.
This year’s opening performance marks an interesting departure from previous festivals. Swiss group Metzer/Zimmerman/dePerrot will launch the event, with Gopf – blending circus, dance and a live DJ.
Meanwhile, past festival favourites Circus Ronaldo return with their theatrical take on circus, described as leaning more towards influences such as Fellini and Commedia Dell’Arte, in Fili.
From Belgium, theatre-clown duo Xavier Bouvier and Benoit Devos, aka Okidok, make their UK debut with Ha Ha Ha. Trained in Brussels and the Montreal Circus School, Bouvier and Devos developed their unique style, which draws on Russian clowning traditions rather than western, through touring with circus troupes throughout Europe, American and Canada.
Lannaghan remarks she is looking forward to the return of Compagnie 111, who, after festival organisers received many requests from the viewing audience, were invited back for this, their second appearance in two years. In IJK, the French group amplify the sounds of juggling balls to create live music, along with flamenco guitar and an accordian (and they perform acrobatics and aerial skills, as well). Performers Aurelien Bory, Olivier Alenda and Anne de Buck trained at France’s Lido Circus School before setting up their own company in 1999.
From the UK, Told by an Idiot will perform the finished product that is A Little Fantasy, a show which has been under development since it was first presented in an earlier form at the 2001 mime festival. Also from the UK, Company F/Z’s Throat, will surely be a crowd-pleaser after a successful run at the 2002 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won a Total Theatre award.
Meanwhile, performances like A2’s do you want this once again?, a piece about culture, consumerism and modern society, and Andrew Dawson’s Absence and Presence – which uses video, sculpture, movement and music to explore the universal theme of loss – are alternatives to this year’s strong circus strand.
After 25 years, the mime festival shows no signs of slowing down – and neither do its directors. Lannaghan observes that her directing partner – who also manages to juggle a position as programme manager for the Hong Kong Festival, as well as advising the New Zealand Festival after a stint as its director – just seems to grow more and more enthusiastic about future festivals. Lannaghan, who is herself involved with LIFT, concedes the duo bring different passions to the festival programme; but for her, it’s about the magic visual theatre can weave, without words.
‘Joseph [Seelig] and I go to see shows at various other festivals and they’re fantastic – it’s ten minutes in [to a show] and they haven’t said a word and you’re just praying – on the edge of your seat – they don’t speak, because quite often find there’s almost a tangible crack when someone speaks and the magic is lost, it just brings it crashing down to earth. It brings it to a language and a voice and an intonation, whereas if you just keep it visual I think your mind engages in a completely different way.’
‘I think we love it, basically!’ Lannaghan laughs. ‘It’s not theatre, it’s not dance, it’s the area in between. We’re interested in what falls through the cracks.’
The London International Mime Festival runs from January 10-26, 2003. For full programme and booking details visit www.mimefest.co.uk
Related Article
17.12.2002 A2 asks ‘do you want this once again?’
