‘It’s a magical world which our artists throw themselves into.’ Interview with Felicity Simpson, Director and Creative Producer of Circolombia

In anticipation of Circolombia’s visit to the Southbank Festival between 24th May and 14th July, Anthony Walker-Cook exchanged questions with the director of the company, Felicity Simpson, to discuss how circus continues to adapt and develop for a modern audience.

AWC: Could you perhaps define the term ‘contemporary circus’ and how you see the art form as working within the industry today?
FS: For me, all labels such as Contemporary, Classical, Traditional, Social, New Circus are detrimental. In the end, Circus is Circus, constantly evolving with the times. What really defines circus is being EXTRAordinary. So contemporary is about today’s ordinaryness, if that word exists. Circus is the only artform where death-defying risk is part of daily business.

What are the challenges (and pleasures) of performing at the Underbelly Southbank Festival?
We are so excited to perform at Underbelly Southbank Festival! This is London, big shout to my nephews, nieces, brother, sisters and especially my Father, Aunty Doris and Aunty Freda. We share a lot in common with Underbelly – we are fearless and ambitious. One of the major challenges is coming from performing in national theatres and opera houses on this tour and here we suddenly find ourselves on an elongated Kleenex. However, the close proximity to the audience means that the audience are definitely part of the show. But fear not, no audience interaction, just a whole heap of dancing in your seats!

What might audiences expect when they come to watch Circolombia’s performance?
Circolombia is 100% Colombian circus concert which captures the energy, diversity and electric dynamism of the country’s rich culture. It’s a fearless performance packed with endless infectious energy from fourteen incredibly talented artists, bringing guts, grace and gusto direct from Bogota!

What sets Circolombia aside from other contemporary circus groups?
Colombia has a real dynamic force propelling it forward, that force is human. Living in Bogota, where the pace of daily life is really accelerated, has influenced our questioning of the world and what we wanted to explore on stage. Are we Third World, First World or the Brave New World?
For me, without doubt, we are the Brave. Circolombia’s motto is “Compartir es Vivir” or “To share is to live”. So here we are, sharing. Our job is to provoke real emotions as audiences witness extraordinary feats performed live in a very intimate space. Circus is the only artform where risking your life is a daily ritual. Thanks to the trust, confidence and solidarity between us, Circolombia’s ‘circo-concierto’ (circus concert) is all killer, no filler. It’s a magical world which our artists throw themselves into. This show allows the audience to believe in the impossible, but really that magic behind the circus is sheer hard work, determination and courage.

You left England in the 1980s before moving to Brazil – returning to English audiences now, what do we tend to look for in live performances?
What’s wonderful about a show like this is its constant development. Our artists are always striving for the next thing, reaching for something more, and this means the performance evolves night by night and season by season. Our show is all about taking risks, in life and on stage and having the courage to move forward, with the women leading the way, so we do live and breathe our art.
Folk like you and me have a constant need to see and believe in the impossible, this makes us feel alive, and our artists are constantly defying those risks, standing on the edge of what’s possible and reaching further.

Could you comment on your transition from performer to Director (especially the foundation of the Circo Para Todos) and where you perhaps see the circus industry moving as a mode of performance in the future?
I got into drama school when I was 16 and on my first day I ran out of there! I fled to Paris because I used to ride a unicycle anyway and played the trumpet. There I discovered that circus could be an amazing vehicle, Circus has no frontiers to reach people’s emotions. Freedom to move with few words, just mind-blowing movements that come into town, inspire and then puff, evaporate. Not that inspired by European Circus, but most impressed with a Mexican soloist, I was looking for more life, energy and vibrancy, so packed my unicycle and off to Brazil. It was there whilst we were establishing a new type of Circus, Intrepida Trupe. I met a most hairy Colombian man who became my professional partner: Hector Fabio Cobo Plata. For eighteen years we had a fantastic life as performers until his death in 2001. Now our cast come from all over the place, and mostly from Colombia.

How does a modern acrobatics company reconcile trying new moves with safety?
Safety is at the forefront of what we do. Always. When trying new moves or experimenting with ideas there are a few basic principles we always observe. These artists have been training their bodies and minds for over fifteen years, many of those working together as Circolombia. So there is a huge amount of trust and understanding that forms the foundation of any experimentation. Without trust, there is no safety, even trying the simplest of manoeuvres.
The next factor is our skill and technique. Our artists have an intimate understanding of the way their bodies work as machines and how to get their bodies to achieve what their mind can conceive. We always work with appropriate safety apparatus like lines and harnesses when developing new skills.

What changes in audience expectations have you identified throughout your career regarding contemporary circus?
Audiences keep asking for more. They are always raising expectations. They want to see more and feel more which makes us want to push to our physical and emotional limits.

Part of the performance at the Festival includes singers – how do you incorporate music into the routines?
Music doesn’t just accompany the acts, it’s an essential part of the performance. It amplifies the infectious energy of the circus arts, raises the emotional stakes and the dynamism that is the hallmark of Circolombia’s artists. Rather than being a separate musical entity, the singers are a part of the acrobatic ensemble so they really become the voice of the performance and rhythm of its soul. 

In a world that sees constant cuts to the Arts and Performance sector, what do you think is the benefit of maintaining (and, more importantly, developing) the circus tradition both now and for the future?
While secure funding is a wonderful thing, circus has always defied adversity and a little bit of difficulty can be a good thing. It makes us question what we are about, how we communicate with audiences and how we create our work. There is no room for complacency, which is key to development, and circus arts are constantly evolving. We are nimble and keep responding to what audiences want and need. The beauty of circus arts is they keep reaching for the unknown, keep asking what’s next and keep striving for the impossible while having firm foundations in trust, understanding and empathy.

We are very grateful to Felicity for taking the time to answer our questions! You can see Circolombia performing at the Underbelly Festival until 14th July 2018.

Anthony Walker-Cook

Anthony Walker-Cook is a PhD candidate at UCL and is the Theatre editor for London Student. Alongside academic commitments he has several reviews forthcoming with major journals, including Notes and Queries, and contributes to other theatre websites. His interests include theatre adaptation, early modern drama and all things eighteenth century. For more information please contact: anthony.walker-cook.17@ucl.ac.uk