Performance this week: The Gandinis

Posted on August 2, 2011

Watch This Space, the festival of free performance held outside London’s National Theatre, celebrates juggling with The Gandinis this week, from August 3–7. In the past, the company have regularly created works with dance artists, including Gill Clarke of Siobhan Davies dance.

This week of performances and juggling workshops includes Smashed, influenced by traditional music hall and by the work of choreographers Pina Bausch and Merce Cunningham. Smashed will be performed on Wednesday and Friday at 6.30pm, on Saturday at 4pm and on Sunday at 1.30pm.

The company also perform The Sweet Life, a juggling romance with an Italianate twist, on Thursday at 6.30pm and Saturday at 1pm and 6.30pm.

New show Blotched, which promises to be a messy explosion of paint, light and colour, will be performed on Friday and Saturday at 10pm. All performances are in Theatre Square, in front of the National Theatre.

Throughout the week, there will be guest appearances and free workshops. Beginners can sign up in Theatre Square. For more advanced juggling, book your place on 020 7452 3445 or see www.gandinijuggling.com.

Picture: The Gandinis. Photograph: Ludo desCognets

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.