Edinburgh Fringe 2024
NoVa
Les Foutoukours
Genre: Children's Theatre, Circus, Clown
Venue: Assembly Roxy
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
These are elegant poetic theatrical clowns who delight in each other as they enjoy sharing their joy with the audience. There’s some wonderful slowmo movement, which is fun, a highlight is juggling a set of boxes. This show is poetic, lyrical and subtle with clown characters, bringing laughter in a beautiful ethereal setting!
Review
We first see the beautiful set which comprises three groups of candles on different levels in corners of the stage area, sweet music plays and two characters come out in Elvish costumes, they are our clowns with red noses and partial white face. One is reading a book and the other joins in, they are friends. Using an interesting mix of silence and gibberish their interactions are playful. They have naïve expressions and sensitive interactions to each other, could there be a little romance?
A pile of small books on the stage suddenly becomes the start of a book balance sequence and it’s very clever. These are not garish clowns and the quietness draws us in to watch. Together they are a perfect match. They do acrobatic and subtle juggling and they are completely endearing.
Very well chosen music selections add to the magical atmosphere and visual storytelling. The timing is nicely coordinated with some of the physical clown sequences as well! Both characters do a mix of acro and balancing with other circus skills. One quality that is sweet is their reactions to each other acrobatics to appreciate what they each do in a charming non-verbal way.
The show flows well and takes its time to present each part. It moves along and holds the interest of everyone. Wind and other sounds take us to a colder place and the pair find a lovely solution to warm themselves! They have creative ways of moving across the stage – one carries the other sideways by her partner! But now what’s this? Competition over the need of heat but only in their charming way!
Both clown characters play to the audience and we are engrossed at the visual setting and the skills and joy. They find body percussion to keep warm. The rhythmic clapping is organic clowning during this very cold climate with fog! The middle of the show includes physical actions that are rather slow and subtle and will no doubt flesh out as the run progresses.
This duo continues to charm and amaze with their balances, physical acting and use of props, especially when they play off each other with bigger actions.
These are elegant poetic theatrical clowns who delight in each other as they enjoy sharing their joy with the audience. There’s some wonderful slowmo movement, which is fun, a highlight is juggling a set of boxes. This show is poetic, lyrical and subtle with clown characters, bringing laughter in a beautiful ethereal setting!
