24.06.08

Leicestival show

Posted in Juggling, Reviews at 7:42 am by alby

Coo.  It seems that your average punter rather enjoyed Lestival.  Hurrah.

It also seems that we were about 10 people away from breaking even.

Ooh so close!

Anyway I can finally get to the show.

I got to it as everyone was already sitting ready for it.  This was ‘cos I’d just zoomed home to get the cable for the vid camera.  So I started with a heart rate greatly increased and a worry for Pete and Jay that it all went well.

Jay started proceedings and we got on with the stars of the show.

Ady Pole was first up.  I think it’s fitting that Leicester had a local lad as the first act of the first Leicester show.  I have no clue if that was what was the thought process was but whatever, I approve.  And Ady did very well.  He wasn’t doing rings, he wasn’t using U2 as backing music – marvellous.  He was really good.  Lots of zippy ball stuff, mainly 3 but up to 5 and pretty clean too.  And well choreographed.  A good start.

Luke Hallgarten was up next.  He’s the BYJOTY Lestival winner.  His BYJOTY routine was downbeat about an alcoholic clown.  This one was a downbeat homeless person.  Nice to see a thought out character but a real downer.  I’m not sure that counts as criticism as I’m sure that’s the feeling he was after imparting to his audience.  But far too much angst for one so young.

Sarah B up next with an upbeat rings routine.  How odd is this?  Ady doing balls and Sarah doing rings?  Strange.  Chippy music and solid skills.  She is also much more confident on stage, striding around like she should be there rather than looking terrified.  Magic.  Also notable for Ady helping out and managing a knee slide.

Tom Derrick followed with his tennis routine.  The middle bit changed somewhat.  Previously he’s “changed ends” and now he’s moved to a “rain delay”.  Was very good and he ran it cleaner than I’ve seen it before.  No negatives here.

Rachel Black finished with a rocky hula act.  Rocky as in the music not as in shaky skills.  A good choice of act I reckon.  As good as I remembered from Chocfest.

Then came the intermission.  I managed to have a few chats with a variety of folk who all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I also discovered yesterday that the weird bloke who kept tripping over the video power cable had shifted the camera a little so the first half is slightly off to the side.  Jay came and showed me how to zoom too so the second half is probably better filmed (not that I’ve had a chance to look at it yet).

Raffle – quick but still too slow.

Jay started up the second half with a trick he claimed not to have done for 12 years or so.  It was alright.  The start went well but the balance of 9 cigarboxes on a spoon struggled.  Maybe a touch long but he did it in the end.  And on with the show..

Apex Acro were on.  I like these ladies.  Muscly and lithe – perfect combo for a physio like me.  There was one bit where I thought the flyer would brain herself on the lights but emerged unscathed.

The lights were a concern for me for the whole show.  The ceiling wasn’t very high and a rack of lights hung from it. High patterns would be out and stuff like trapeze is just not going to happen.  Limiting and the most annoying bit re the venue for me.  Mind you the lights must have been quite good as so few of the acts had shockers.

John Booth was another BYJOTY entrant.  The only diabolo act in the show.  Frankly we wouldn’t have needed another one.  He was simply brilliant.  Ludicrous zippy tricks, and totally dropless.  Most impressed.  So was Jay – it led him to come up with quite a condescending “I’ve seen him before but never dropless” comment.

Martin’s SJC routine followed.  3 balls and twangy music.  I think 1 drop and 1 fumble.  I loved this routine when I first saw it; I still love it.

Matt Pang was the headliner.  Doing hat stuff and cigar balances and the like.  He was having a bit of an off day.  A shame but either way I don’t think he should have headlined.  A nice routine and nice music but I think it needed a more intimate setting.  Something like a table magician doing his thing rather than a theatre act.  And such a shame re drops – seems he hit everything perfectly in the tech run.  Ah well you win some.

And then that was it.  All over.  A very good show.  One or two poor gags – notably the Sarah and mats stuff.  Didn’t help that it all happened at the wrong time but there wouldn’t be too many people who would have got it anyway.  And poor timing.  In jokes just don’t work on stage.  And heckles.  Hmm.  Rule 1 of heckling – make them snappy.  Rule 2 of heckling – make them witty.

Cheers to Pete for organising and Jay for doing it.

See you next year?

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