This September, Weston-super-Mare will host a weekend festival of outdoor arts as ‘Whirligig’ returns with a jam-packed, bumper package of seaside spectacles taking place from 10 – 12 September.
Presented by Theatre Orchard, the Whirligig Festival – winner of Best UK Small Event in the National Outdoor Events Association Awards 2019 – returns with its biggest line-up yet, and will see the action rolled out across three days in locations in the heart of Weston-super-Mare.
The free fiesta starts with a Friday night launch party taking place from 6pm – 8.30pm in the town centre’s Italian Gardens. The evening line-up includes entertainment from Autin Dance Theatre’s ‘Out of the Blue’ Sea Giant puppet walkabout, Simple Cypher’s ‘Roll Up, Roll Up’ juggling and Cyr Wheel artistry, Pirates of the Carabina’s mesmerising aerial, circus show ‘Pirate Taxi’ and a feelgood karaoke finale from Puppets with Guts, ‘The Lips’, a luminous, big pop puppetry performance from a chorus of delightfully, deviant divas.
On Saturday 11 September, from 11.30am – 6pm, The Italian Gardens (Weston-super-Mare BS23 1AJ) and adjacent High Street will come alive with an exuberant mix of spectacular performances including homegrown and internationally acclaimed talent.
Featuring favourites such as headliner Motionhouse (part of Team GB’s Wembley homecoming concert on BBC 1) and their jaw-dropper ‘WILD’, a show supported by Without Walls, that explores our disconnect with the natural environment as performers use incredible feats to move through a forest of tall poles; a seductive peepshow ‘The Glory Box’ from Ramshaklicious and Etta Ermini Dance Theatre’s ‘Glam’, inspired by club culture and the journey of the LGBTQ+ community.
Marvel at Simple Cypher’s explosive tricks and artful dexterity in ‘Roll Play’ as three performers challenge identity, status and societal roles; the breathtaking breakdance, acrobatic and trampolining skills of James Wilton Dance in ‘iRobot’, and a perilous tight rope feat by Stefano di Renzo in ‘Hold On’, a show commissioned by Without Walls, as Whirligig is taken to new heights in a stunning showcase of talent and creativity.
Be wowed by experiences and walkabout acts including Artizani’s ‘Bees! The Colony’ hive installation, a show supported by Without Walls; Autin Dance Theatre’s sentient Sea Giant puppet EKO; BinCats Circus ‘Street Cat Strut’; Dizzy O Dare’s ‘Falconry Dismay’; Cat and Mouse Theatre’s ‘Blockbuster Factory’; Gobbledegook’s ‘Cloudscapes’, Curious Company’s ‘Colours’ stilt walkers and Puppets with Guts, ‘The Lips’.
Soak up a sunny Sunday afternoon and relaxing vibes at Grove Park (BS23 2QJ) on 12 September from 1pm – 5pm as the Festival winds down. Be immersed in Greek mythology and an epic seaside tale in Jack Dean & Company’s gig theatre ‘Hero & Leander’; drift away to Gobbledegook Theatre’s ‘Cloudscapes’ as you contemplate life and the wonder of the skies; join Emily Brown Dance in ‘Treasure’, as a special extended cast of professional and community dancers explore our fascination with the seas and coastlines. Plus, Cat & Mouse Theatre, Magic by Jayne, North Somerset Scrapstore and a bandstand of locally sourced acoustic music.
Fiona Matthews, creative director at Theatre Orchard, said: “Whirligig is back to take over the town centre with experiences that will amaze, move and uplift. We were unable to go ahead with Whirligig last year due to covid restrictions. So this year the jaw-dropping spectacle and irresistible fun extend across three days in some of Weston’s most brilliant spots, showcasing breathtaking creative talent and bringing people together in the great outdoors. Come and celebrate something out-of-this-world with us!”
Theatre Orchard is a partner in Without Walls, working with festivals and artists and bringing fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across the UK.
