Afrique en Cirque is an exhilarating performance with a cohesive story that combines Guinea culture with classic circus acts, says Megan Amato.
★★★★★
Nature and bird calls fill the auditorium, cool purple lighting gently illuminating the beautifully decorated stage.
The band enters – a saxophonist, drummer and a guitarist – to their respective spots under grass thatched stands and our impressive host Yamoussa Bangoura introduces his instrument: the Kora.
Made from gourd and cow skin, this West African 21-stinged instrument can be used as a harp or a lute and was once used to be played for kings and queens.
Yamoussa would demonstrate the versatility of the Kora through out the show and the combination with his deep, clear baritone was beautiful.
Afrique en Cirque is both a very technically and physically demanding show. Acrobats flipped, cartwheeled, balances on each other and performed adagio on stage, showcasing incredible control in their tight movements, often moving their bodies off the ground with seemingly little effort.
They barely appeared to perspire, giving the illusion that their powerful movements were second nature when the majority of us plebians can barely walk in a straight line.
When percussionists with large barrel-like dunduns filled out, the audience bore witness to the power and grace of each movement, their abdomen muscles moving one-by-one with each beat of the drum. Dust or smoke from each blow filled the air.
The contortionist’s act was the most vivid. Both in the scene setting and in his incredible ability to contort his body in ways I had no idea possible. That he did so with an endearing smile made it all the more unbelievable.
Besides awe in their ability, many of their scenes had a thread of humour, from a fish market scene with street vendors selling their wares for exuberant prices, to Yamoussa teaching his audience one of Guinea’s languages, Susu, and jokingly expecting us to repeat long phrases, to a very cheeky construction scene that was definitely not heath & safety approved.
I appreciated the little details that helped bring this show to life from the beautiful face paint and how the band was included in each of the costume changes.
Afrique en Cirque is an exhilarating performance with a cohesive story that combines Guinea culture with classic circus acts. A must-see at the Fringe this year.
Assembly Hall – Main Hall
Aug 16-20, 22-26.
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