image courtesy of Chris Reynolds
After taking the Edinburgh Fringe by storm in 2017, winning the prestigious Herald Angel Award, Ellie Dubois’ No Show offers a glimpse into what lies hidden beneath the showmanship of circus and deconstructs these incredible superhuman circus performers.
This is a show for anyone who has tried, failed and failed better.
The production joyously and heartbreakingly reveals what lies hidden beneath the showmanship of circus. What do you expect when you go to the circus? The greatest show on earth?
No Show opens with five strong, glamorous circus artists showcasing their spellbinding acrobatics and flexibility – the perfect ‘show girls’. But, after this opening number, the show starts to break down and No Show begins to unveil attempts and failures, revealing frustrations and how artists are pitted against each other. The audience learn of everything that could go wrong from finger crushing to concussion and shoulder dislocation in a Cyr Wheel act. And as someone who has dislocated, and broken her shoulder at the same time a year ago, let me tell you, it ain’t a bundle of laughs. But the show must go on…
In this production, we are allowed the opportunity to see behind the flawless smiles and perfect execution of traditional circus performance – to see the wobbles, the pain and the real cost of aiming for perfection.
Ellie Dubois comments, Touring is the lifeblood of theatre and part of the circus tradition, so it is super exciting to be taking No Show across the UK and bringing contemporary circus to many different communities in diverse venues from theatres to village halls. At a time when sexual politics are being exposed in film, theatre and other art forms, it seems especially important that circus is also exploring its gender politics.
No Show was also shortlisted for a Total Theatre & Jacksons Lane Award for Circus.
This tour is funded by ACE Creative Scotland.
Running time 60 minutes Box Office Tickets are available from the individual theatre box offices
Twitter @ellie_dubois, #noshow
Trailer https://vimeo.com/175412172
Performance Dates
12th – 13th Sept Tayvallich Village Hall Village Hall, Tayvallich, PA31 8PR
16th – 17th Sept Lyth Arts Centre Lyth, Wick KW1 4UD
20th September Eden Court Bishops Road, Inverness IV3 5SA
21st September Comar, Mull An Tobar, Argyll Terrace, Tobermory, PA75 6PB
23rd September MAC Galashiels Bridge Street, Galashiels TD1 1SP
26th September The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal 122a Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 4HE
27th September Platform, Glasgow 1000 Westerhouse Road, Glasgow, G34 9JW
28th September Women of the World Festival, Perth Theatre Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ
29th September Woodend Barn, Banchory The Barn, Burn O Bennie, Banchory, AB31 5QA
4th October Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA
5th October The Lowry, Manchester Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
6th – 7th October Theatre Deli, Sheffield 202 Eyre Street, Sheffield, S1 4QZ
8th October Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds 3 Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD
11th – 12th October MAC Belfast 10 Exchange Street West, Belfast, BT1 2NJ
13th – 14th October Summerhall, Edinburgh Summerhall Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL
15th October Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University, LA1 4YW
16th – 17th October The Hullabaloo, Darlington Borough Road, Darlington, Durham, DL1 1SG
19th October Quarterhouse, Folkestone Quarterhouse, Mill Bay, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1BN
20th October Proteus Theatre, Basingstoke Council Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 3DH
24th – 27th October Tobacco Factory, Bristol Raleigh Road, Bristol, BS3 1TF
28th October Cambridge Junction Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX
Milly Adams is the author of Love on the Waterways published by Arrow. Hope on the Waterways comes out on 20th September.