• Cradle

    A metal rectangular frame which a base can hang from by the knees, supporting a flyer. Cradle is a discipline which combines elements of doubles trapeze and swinging trapeze, but has its own special flavour. With the base hanging down and holding the flyer it's possible to execute below the bar vocabulary from doubles trapeze, but the cradle is (almost always) static, and held rigidly in place so that, underneath, the base can swing the flyer with enough momentum for somersaults and other tricks. It differs from swinging trapeze in that it's a very compact discipline, with all the action taking place within a small, local trajectory, and in that it's possible for base and flyer to pause and rest by standing on top of the cradle – two factors which mean the discipline often lends itself to a certain kind of character-based storytelling.

    Korean cradle is a variant where the base stands upright on two struts jutting out over empty space, and swings the flyer between his or her legs.

  • Magazine

    By John Ellingsworth on 10 November 2010 in Reviews

    Unquestionably CirkVOST have an excellent wheel. Built from dark metal, two towering rings are joined by an intricate tangled network of ropes, pulleys and looping bars. Old hanging lights cast their glow in the centre; a dark plane of netting stretches the bottom.

    By John Ellingsworth on 14 January 2010 in Reviews

    With the same director, same performers, and some of the same tricks, Canto nonetheless distinguishes itself from NoFit State's tabú as a warmer and wittier production—thrown together with greater haste yet more robust in the face of its own weaknesses; diffuse and open-ended but content to be so.

    By John Ellingsworth on 31 March 2009 in Reviews

    If you’re going I recommend tanking up beforehand. Not entirely facetiously; when you first walk in and the performers greet you and talk to you like they’ve known you forever a little alcohol will probably smooth over the dialogue.