Circus / invisible circus
The Invisible Circus bid farewell to Unit 15 with ‘Welcome to The Future’
For over two decades, the Invisible Circus have occupied a genre-defying position as virtuosos of circus-theatre performance installation both within and far beyond their Bristol home.
Before the end of March 2024, they will be leaving their city-centre creation space at Unit 15, making way for the continued redevelopment in St Philips, and a more uncertain future.
As a goodbye to their adopted home, which has offered a high-quality training space for the circus community over many years, they will be hosting a limited run of an extravaganza, titled Welcome to the Future.
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Unit 15 training space (exterior), Invisible Circus – photo: Andre Pattenden
Celebrating the creative collaboration Unit 15 has played such an instrumental role in nurturing, the show promises to take revellers on “a journey into the unknown,” exploring how society may appear in a future further shaped by gentrification.
“We’re sad to be leaving Unit 15, but are incredibly proud of what we have achieved here,” says Invisible Circus co-director Wim Penhaul.
“As much as we face an uncertain future I think it is also an important moment for Bristol to look at how the latest wave of development is affecting its historically rich cultural sector with more and more independent cultural projects being forced out of the centre and the wider city.
Hoop training at Unit 15 – photo: Andre Pattenden
“As we prepare for our exit from Unit 15 we want Welcome to the Future to be a celebration of all we have achieved. This is a production that is only possible due to the collaboration of so many brilliant minds, artists and creatives we have met along our journey.”
As an immersive installation show, beyond the circus performance elements, there will be comedic interactions with the many characters embedded within the landscape of the event – not always easy to separate from the audience members themselves, who are encouraged to dress to suit the theme.
Beyond the event, Unit 15 will be utilised as one of the venues hosting Bristol Circus City events in October, before it comes to the end of its tenure as a training and performance space next year.
Welcome to the Future – photo: Invisible Circus
Welcome to The Future is at Unit 15 Creation Space on September 28-October 1 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from www.headfirstbristol.co.uk.
Main photo: Invisible Circus
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