Edinburgh Fringe 2024

Afrique en Cirque

Kalabante Productions

Genre: Acrobatics, Circus, International, Live Music

Venue: Assembly Main Hall

Festival: Edinburgh Fringe

Low Down

Review

The mood is set with a tropical soundtrack. Insects and birds call their mates closer and warn their competitors to keep away. A kora player comes on stage and introduces himself and the scene. His name is Yamoussa Bangoura, he makes us aware of his parentage and introduces his instrument. The kora, a plucked multi-stringed instrument with a long neck and a round sound box is played in the regions of West Africa. Often the skill is traditionally passed from father to son with some women now breaking the mould. Bangoura describes the scene we are about to encounter. He transports us back to a Guinean fishing village.

Four guys carry big dundunba drums, as if they were carrying barrels off a boat. They call out to each other while they set down their instruments and start drumming with thick wooden sticks that to the uninitiated might look like straight wooden rolling pins. Then the focus is on Bangoura playing on his kora. Additionall to the West African drums there is a traditional drum kit in a kind of sail cloth pergola towards the left of the kora player, which also offers shelter to a five string jazz electronic bass. In a similar pergola on the right side of the stage is a tenor sax player. This instrument combo is not surprising considering that the music is a form of Afro-Fusion, drawing on the multifaceted colours of Afro Jazz, Afrobeat, New Age and even a pinch of Reggae.

The music alternates between African instruments, there are the aforementioned kora and dunduns (dundunba and sangban) as well as a slit drum, djembe and axatases, and the jazz band. In ever changing combinations of instruments the music varies from very Western sounding or jazz to funky African drumming via an array of musical fusion. The soundscapes is often joyous and upbeat, especially when the groups of drums are in action. However, sometimes the bass alone gives us a mellow low key (no pun intended) accompaniment. I especially enjoyed Bangoura’s singing often accompanied by himself playing the kora.

As the title suggests there is a strong circus element in this show. The focus is primarily on acrobatics, human pyramids and contortion that should be impossible to perform. There is also juggling and comedy provided by some light-hearted clowning and audience interaction. The frequent costume changes bring literally much colour to the proceedings and it is fascinating how many skills each performer brings to the show. Even the bass player is called on to help build a four tier human pyramid with the top flyer having to look out not to hit the spotlights rigged to the ceiling. Every acrobat is part of the dancing and also called upon to make music. Bangoura himself is the main base for one of the pyramids. His skillset is amazing: kora player, singer, drummer, acrobat, choreographer, composer and producer. With one person taking on so much you would be forgiven to think that not all elements are executed on an equal high level, but you would be wrong. Bangoura is an exceptional artist whose artistic vision can imagine and whose skillset can deliver.

Afrique en Cirque was created in 2017 by Yamoussa Bangoura, who is based in Montreal where he works as a teacher too. The music to the show was released as an album, played by Bangoura’s band called Yamoussa Kora & Thousand Colors. On the webpage the show is described as a ‘journey to African soil with sets and costumes rendering a homage to the Guinean diaspora, acrobatics, innovative choreographies and colourful rhythms’. This is an accurate description of Afrique en Cirque.

The Republic of Guinea is a country with over two dozen languages spoken and several ethnic groups who are predominantly Muslim. A fusion project is probably the most fitting tribute to a country with such a diverse background. 

Published August 18, 2024 by Tamara Stein