George Orange and Jo Fong bring their life-affirming dance-theatre journey to Circomedia

Fellow international artists George Orange and Jo Fong – both based in Cardiff – have 100 years of life experience between them.

Bringing their respective artistic practices together, from the worlds of circus/clowning and dance, the pair came together to reflect on the mid-way point, and to make what they call “a cabaret of life and near death”.

The Rest of Our Lives is the result. The show has taken the Edinburgh Fringe by storm, with audiences delighted, moved and inspired by their joyful steer on how to navigate middle life with what the duo term “outlandish optimism”.

Following an Edinburgh showcase, there are now plans afoot for a considerable tour in 2023, following interest from multiple venues.

Circomedia will be hosting Orange and Fong on October 21. Bristol24/7 asked them to share some insight on their own stories, what drew them together as performers, and how they feel about the success of the show to date:

Can you introduce yourselves, and your respective performance styles?

Orange: “I grew up on a failed farm in rural Minnesota. The glamour quota was very low. Running away to the circus seemed like a viable plan. I was drawn to Wales by NoFit State Circus, for whom I did five years’ worth of work.

“I did my first professional performance in 1989. I have made or been part of thousands of shows by now.

“I am complicated. I am fascinated with the endless analysis of living. The artist’s journey. I’ve tried it all: painting, sculpture, busking, circus, theatre and dance. For me, it always came back to the cyclical relationship of art and viewer.

“My work now is about community and connections. Jo and I share a desire to live in hope.”

The Rest of Our Lives by Jo Fong and George Orange, Ageless Festival – photo: Sara Teresa

Fong: “Who am I? I’m female, my dad’s Chinese, and I grew up in a Chinese supermarket. I’ve been making performance for over 30 years and I wanted to do it in a different way, so it’s taken a while.

“I work in the arts, I’ve danced, acted, sung on stages, played magician’s assistants, performed a solo on the Paris Opera stage, co-created award-winning opera, and worked with professional artists as well as those who have never been on the stage before.

“I’m interested in people, and how different they are: their struggles, what motivates them and this time, in finding a way to inject some momentum for positive change.”

What drew you together – and how do you complement one another on stage?

Orange: “We clicked, we clocked, we boomed!”

Fong: “I’d never met a real life clown before; it’s fascinating. We first worked together in 2016 on a show that I initiated called Ways of being Together. It had about 50 people in it, and was a meaningful but playful show about the impact of building community, support networks, dancing together, trust, and friendships.

“At the time, George and I lived around the corner from each other, and we became friends. I think it’s also about projection, since we both thrive in the live environment – we love performances that relate to audiences, where everyone feels welcome.

“I like to think as performers and makers we’re risk-takers, on the adventurous, brave end of art making.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/ChnRvWSsIYL/?hl=en

How did The Rest of Our Lives evolve?

Fong: “We’re both now in our fifties, and it’s a thing: menopause; the end of your career as you know it; and did I mention there was a pandemic? Ultimately, I feel this show was created because we needed it. It was our medicine, the thing that drew us out of the dark times, out of loneliness, and into thinking about what made us happy.”

Orange: “The show was first made in 2019 and for me that was a very bad time. I really thought it couldn’t get worse. And for me 2020 wasn’t but it was worse for a lot of people. The rest of you sort of caught up with me in 2020 and 2021. Now we are all on the other side and trying to figure out life ever after. For us it comes back to loving and dancing.”

Fong: “In terms of process, firstly we’d never worked together in this way before and I felt we really took our time pondering upon how we would do it. We shared skills, improvised together, played games and tried to get to the point where shame or failing in front of each other would be ok.”

Orange: “I remember there was a lot of open mindedness to it, and a lot of laughter. The feeling that anything was possible within the constraints we imposed, of not being able to have very much stuff on stage. Coming from circus, that was exciting and freeing; usually there’s loads of equipment and rigs to consider…”

Fong: “…whereas we just had our bodies, the space, and the notion that the audience would feel like they’re part of our endeavour. Also we have costumes, raffle-tickets, balloons, microphones, and roller-skates.”

Finally, what’s your reaction to how much audiences have taken the show to heart? Has it taken you by surprise?

Orange: “Yes and no…. I love doing the show; I think we both do, and somehow it is infectious, despite being something so personal. So, yes it is a surprise that it connects with people but such a heartwarming one. It is giving me hope that people seem to be so moved and happy at the same time.”

Fong: “It’s a wondrous thing. I was working in London last week, I’d just arrived and was having a bit of a culture shock whilst walking by the Southbank river. This lady said: ‘hi Jo’; it was a little awkward at first, and then we chatted as if we had known each other for years. This stuff feels mighty.”

The Rest of Our Lives (age recommendation 14+) is at Circomedia on October 21 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.circomedia.com.

Main photo: Sara Teresa

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