XTRAX Showcase 2008

17 hippiesAcrojou – The Wheel House’ Supported by Without Walls

Groundbreaking visual art and acrobatics company ‘Acrojou’ defy gravity and conventions with The Wheel House: an entire home captured in a fisheye lens; a cylindrical journey into the surreal world within; a kaleidoscopic piece of rolling theatre! Blending acrobatics, surreal comedy, stunning visuals, and a two-metre diameter cylindrical home, the characters expose their clanking and a comically beautiful universe in this giant Petri dish of highly original theatre.

 

 

17 hippies

Artizani ’Desert Island Discs’

Imagine a tropical desert island complete with castaway, gramophone; and flotsam and jetsam. Surreal, comic, tragic and a little bit crazy, Artizani’s new show compresses 20 years of isolation into 30 minutes of mayhem.

 

 

 

17 hippies

Avanti Display ’Leak’

Some locals are experiencing bizarre events: water spurting out of TV’s and iPODs, The Archers coming out of taps; newsflashes appearing in the bathroom steam. A company is brought in to investigate� a situation is being monitored� A V.I.P. visits� Spray begins to fly…

 

 

 

17 hippies

Bash Street Theatre ’The Station’

In a dilapidated railway station, in the age of steam, a band of musicians cause havoc as they make their way to a Grand Concert. The station staff’s day is made worse by a gang of art thieves on the lookout for stolen masterpieces. An hour-long, silent movie style show, with an East European Flavour.

 

 

 

Circo Ripopolo

Bedouin Jerry Can Band

BJB is a collective of semi-nomadic musicians, singers, poets, storytellers and coffee grinders from the Egyptian Sinai desert. Using ancient Pharonic instruments and junk percussion the band offer a fascinating insight into their culture whilst offering up freshly ground Arabic coffee to members of the audience.

 

 

Circo Ripopolo

Beleza

Three talented musicians who share a passion for Samba, Bossa Nova & Musica Popular of Brazil.

 

 

 

 

Comic Character Creations

Boni – In situ’

Packed full of fun and action, Boni entertains and seduces their audiences with a dynamic mix of music, juggling, unicycling and humour.

 

 

 

 

Dodgy Totty

Bureau of Silly Ideas ’Shirt or Squirt’

Two riders compete in an endurance cycle challenge to be first to empty their pedal-powered water tank. The winner gets the glory and the loser gets squirted with water!

 

 

 

Dodgy Totty

Cocoloco Alice and Alice’

Alice through the Looking Glass reflects on her image and sees her darker side. Poetic, funny and a little naughty, as girls the Alices talk in unison and perform as mirror opposites.

 

 

 

Duel in the Song

Two cowboys face each other; their weapons megaphones, that play the great Western themes. Only one tough guy can win.

El Tanbura

Comic Character Creations
‘The King’s Mews Culinary Guild Cake Stall’

The King’s Mews Culinary Guild Cake Stall raises money for Overeaters Anonymous. All your favourites are hear – Lemon Drizzle, Coffee and Walnut, Victoria Sponge plus ‘Ice you own cupcake!’ demonstrations. Lend us your support!

 

 

Faceless Company

Company Fierce and Walk the Plank ’Gulliver’s Boom Box’ Supported by Without Walls

A dynamic collaboration between established street theatre company Walk The Plank and a premier Manchester dance collective Company Fierce. Redeveloped in partnership with Jonzi D, the piece time travels its audience through the various chapters in street dance using a giant ghetto blaster as a music system and a stage.

 

 

Deli Babies ’A Tasty Selection of Greek and Klezmer’

Performed on electric guitar/bouzouki and c clarinet, Deli Babies play tantalising and atmospheric mix of traditional and improvised Greek, Rembetiko and Klezmer music- with a twist. From Old Smyrna to modern day Manchester, Deli Babies play music to stir your soul and lift your spirits.

 

Fine Artistes

Desperate Men  Darwin and the Dodo’

The whole panoply of earthly existence is disemboweled and hung out to dry in this show about the mystery of mysteries evolution creation extinction. Does god play dice with the universe? Did dodos die out because we did them in? Why did Darwin spend eight years with only barnacles for company? What did his wife play on the piano? Could all the species in the earth fit in the arc? What did the polar bears say when they got out on Mount Ararat� and who cares? Featuring the massively bearded Charles Darwin with a life size puppet dodo.

 

Fine Artistes

Digital Funfair ’Boredbrand’s Digital Funfair’

Boredbrand’s Digital Funfair is here to contribute a unique attraction to any event. Combining digital technology, dance music, film and stuff we find lying around in the street we create audience-led experience that people enjoy and remember.

 

 

 

Fine Artistes

Dodgy Totty ’Trip, Light, Fantastic and Co’

In what appears to be an ordinary office an extraordinary day unfolds. Take a peek inside the offices of Trip, Light and Fantastic: Purveyors of Fine English Legwork.

 

 

 

 

Frolicked

Fair Play ’Fairly Fresh Fish Co.’

A seafood tray is held in front of two fishmongers by fake hands. As the sell their wares the fishmongers secretly animate all the products and sea creatures on the tray. See the prawns dancing and the octopus come to life. Witness stirrings in the jellied eel jar and worry what’s in their seafood smoothie! Eye catching and superbly silly.

 

 

Helen Kane

Fine Artistes ’Studio in the Street’

Fine Artistes are a company of performers and fine artists whose mission is to create interactive performance pieces based on the visual arts.
www.xtrax.org.uk/fineartistes

 

 

 

Kawa Circus

Fraser Hooper and Matt Rudkin ’Inside Out’

A brand new show for 2008. Two friends are locked out of the one place they call home, the street. With original music, live percussion, sound effects and a front door key these two clowns bring the house down and then move in. Contemporary clowning meets cartoon calamities, an inside out spectacular by two of the UK’s finest clowns.

 

 

 

Lingua Franca World Music Agency

Frenetic Engineering ’Les Femmes Fatales’

Glamorous and efficient hoofer Millie is thwarted by her incompetent partner who with all the enthusiasm in the world doesn’t quite make the grade! The hopeless Mabel muddles through lying on broken glass, bad magic and then comes the real test – sandwich making followed by throwing knives at her volunteers. The girls finish triumphant (hopefully!) with a hot finale of fire eating and body burning.

 

 

 

Hoodwink

Frolicked ’Never Too Old to Busk ‘

Come and watch a Grandpa with an undeniable musical talent and a feisty Grandma battle it out for your attention and affections – it’s a love story with a difference as they gradually join forces to prove that you’re never really too old to busk… ‘Arthur the Usher ‘ – The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has invited Frolicked Puppet Theatre to provide one of their most efficient and service driven ushers for all your required needs. Our staff members are keen to make your theatre trip as enjoyable as possible. Temporary usher executive Arthur will be checking tickets and doing his rounds from 6 – 7pm! See you there!

 

Kazzum

Gracie Spoon ’Magic Ambulant’

Gracie blows in on the north wind pedalling stories from the four corners of the globe. Gracie, a Wordsmith and Magician, is descended from a long line of Pedlar women who roamed the country weaving magical stories and selling tiny trinkets and crafts. Tall tales, close up magic make and an irresistible little show. .

 

 

Cie les Decatalogues

In2nation

A Hang is a melodious percussive steel musical instrument that uses some of the same physical principles as a steel drum but is a fascinating instrument in its own right. In the hands of Michael Colley, the Pan Art hang is a new revolution in the acoustics of metal, playing infectious grooves and mystical melodies.

 

 

Joe Sature

Kinetic Theatre ’Entree

A tasty slice of black comedy, where entertainment comes with silver service. Chef’s prize dish is on the menu, but it’s a little undercooked…. Remove the lid, and the prize dish is still alive. The delectable head on a platter is hungry, but it is attended by a waiter reluctant to feed it. And so the head turns to enlist the help of the audience…

 

 

 

The Kingsize Five

The Klezmer Gourmets ’Klezmer Gourmet Walkabout’

Klezmer Gourmets (Michael Kahan & Ros Hawley) perform Klezmer Music, originating from Jewish traditions, with other nomadic culture influences, including Lithuanian, Ottoman and Balkan.

 

 

 

 

The Recyclists

Le Tennis

Two over-excited athletes and an eccentric umpire for an outstanding meeting�The champions of the circus tennis confront each other during a friendly match organized by the International Circus Tennis Federation. On an improvised court, juggling clubs shootings and backhand drives follow one another along a frantic rhythm. Strength and agility, suspense and blows : on this tennis court you can find the sign of Mc Enroe, the rage of Connors and the fun of Lendl�

 

 

 

Mimbre

Lempen Puppet Theatre ’Theatre for One’

‘Riverbed Dive’ – Enjoy a calming journey amidst a busy town centre. Dive to the riverbed without getting wet and find out who lives there�

‘Dan’s Baby’

An in-utero private view of Europe’s first �pregnant man�. Watch the cute, but rather strange baby as it moves in the belly.

 

 

Moutrey Productions LLP

Los Kaos’Polar Bear’

Come and meet Bjorn the Polar Bear and his handler Ursula. Find what its like to get close to one of these amazing creatures, and learn about their habits and environment.

 

 

 

 

Molly Orange

Motionhouse ’Underground’ Supported by Without Walls

Performed by 4 dancers within a rotating, rocking tubular structure Underground uses stunningly physical dance, poignant imagery and surprising aerial encounters to explore the new reality of train travel: the compressed intimacy of a crowded carriage, the stranger asleep on your shoulder, the crush of personal space, the studied ignoring of our fellow humans and the tight fear of a dangerous stranger in the current climate of suspicion.

 

 

Mundo Jazz

Mundo Jazz

Mundo Jazz are a spoof World Music band whose mission is to teach us about peace, the environment, racial harmony and love. This they do with all the subtlety of a brick hitting butter, through their ridiculously catchy songs, awful dancing and thunderously crass philosophizing.

 

 

 

Noisy Oyster

Noisy Oyster Lady Lucinda Harrington Carrington

Lady Lucinda Harrington-Carrington, a distinguished guest at any event, mingles and mumbles her way through the public accompanied by her ever-vigilant bodyguards, Ben and Beverley. Amazing life sized puppetry.

 

 

 

Pif Paf

Pif Paf Honey

Join Bombus and Borage in the Giant Hive for a tragi-comic journey into the centre of the fragile world of man’s oldest friend. Trademark performance, props and music meet you on this unforgettable, will the bees make it? will Bombus and Borage makeit? and where are a bee’s ears? join us and find out…

 

 

 

Pif Paf

Pif Paf Hanuman

Straight out of the verses of the Ramayana, HANUMAN the Monkey God! A giant mechanical being, jumping and flying through the air, led by music and his small but faithful monkey army. Come and meet the cheeky giant as he glows through the night. Commissioned by the Indian Association of Greater Manchester.

 

 

 

Pr�t � Porter

Pret a Porter

A man with enormous hands and a woman with a contagious vitality are projected on a spiral of passion and violence. A brief but intense and very beautiful circus performance that can seduce the audience and take it along on their particular madness. A passionate one to one.

 

 

 

Ramshacklicious

Ramshacklicious The Cockney Awkestra

The Cockney Awkestra are dedicated to instigating knees ups far and wide. Leading you through a series of surreal sketches with live music, they’ll teach you how to be better Cockneys.

 

 

 

 

The Sneakers

The Sneakers The Streetlights

New for 2009�The Streetlights take music and comedy just one step further with songs and routines for any situation. Non-stop laughs and music on the move.

 

 

 

Stuff and Things

Stuff and Things Futters Child

Lovable child-minding misfit Mr Futter does his utmost best to look after his charge � a rather challenging baby called Horace � in a bizarre world of love and horror.

 

 

 

 

Stuff and Things

Stuff and Things The Lost Funeral

Ernest Potts and Reginald Fowler have become hopelessly lost en-route to a funeral service, and worst still their coffin is emanating an ever increasing cacophony that threatens to reveal their secret skulduggery.

 

 

 

Edmond Tahl

Using only an amplified suitcase Edmond explores his self-absorbed world of misfortune and adventure, in this hilarious high energy comedy mime act.

 

 

Carpet Man & Lino Boy

Visionary fashion gurus Carpet Man and Lino Boy bring their inimitable 21st century couture creations to the catwalks of the pavements � seeking sales opportunities and market research.

 

The Wet Picnic

The Wet Picnic The Dinner Table

The Dinner Table is a foodilicious extravaganza of exciting foodiliciousnessness. Ursula Harrington Carrington Barrington Farrington Larrington takes you on a 20 minute crash course in how to behave at the table. A surreal and fun show where all the guests learn a little something

 

 

 

 

Whalley Range All Stars

Whalley Range All Stars Brain Wave

A new show by the WRAS. Take a peak into the �art of thinking’ with ideas that flow through the mind and get you thinking outside of the box. Expect sudden flashes of inspiration, day-dreaming, mental blocks, and a drifting mind. This is a 20 minute long vivid experience, which opens the eyes and flash-fries the frontal lobes!

 

 

YoHaKyu Mariachoo!

‘A giant charro on Ukulele with a hopeful romantic on Guitar, this couple of unlikely Mariachi wild things cajole and serenade el publico, while still competing for lead songster.. MariachoO!’

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