It takes an army...
It occurred to me yesterday. at the end of two long days of heavy manual labour and the ensuing gin & tonics that we have been missing a trick.
We here at Circumference don’t write about what we are up to very much. Having some significant skepticism around the bombardment of information in our world today, as well as the stomach clenching feeling of immodesty that exists in broadcasting what we are up to and how happy and shiny our Pret a Instagram our work and lives and lovers are, we mostly keep quiet and get on with it. Whatever Facebook may say we're not convinced that our 775 “fans” that haven’t heard from us in usually something like 113 days miss us...
Not to mention the fact that we are not Pret a Instagram. I’m on a train after load-in Day 8, shiny faced and I smell, not maybe as bad as I’ve ever smelled but certainly bad enough that I created a smell perimeter by putting my backpack on the seat next to me, and not only do I smell, Pablo smells too. I don’t say this lightly of one of my bestest friends, but it’s true. Wherever he is (likely shifting some Marley or some of the huge quantity of metal we’ve accumulated over the years), he smells. It’s that one spectacular day of English Summer we get per year, so today we load in.
Back to the trick. We are not the only people that smell right now, Katie Hill probably smells, Clare smells, my brother smells, Tom Ball definitely smells, Nich smells, Matt smells, Bertil smells, Angeliki and Jackie Le smell, Rosie smells, Giacomo and Mati and Paco smell. Ellie Beedham smells too (not in a manual labour way, so maybe like a daisy or something...). And all these guys are more or less smelling out of the goodness of their own hearts. This past week has seen a multitude people showing up one after another to lift things... heavy, greasy, awkward things, and now they smell.
So while keeping our movements on the down-low keeps them out of the hands of the 48 government and policing agencies to whom Tmay, Rudd et al recently granted access to our entire internet histories, (and whom I would not normally share my smell status with), it also limits our ability to acknowledge the generosity of time, spirit and resources of the so many people without whom nothing we do would be possible.
So reluctant smell status out of the way, on to some acknowledgment.
This Tom Ball person, being a dear friend and also a founder of one of the all time fab circus companies Silver Lining, would (were Circumference to be an actual army) be a general, or a corporal,whichever is higher... He shows up, he can assemble Ikea furniture in a conflict free way that puts that dubious to shame, he keeps his cigarette break below 3 cigarettes per break, he can smile while lifting things that are heavier than he is. He sits somewhere between dramaturg, counsellor, man with a van, party planner and stand up comedian.
Bertil (photographer extraordinaire and amateur design guru) shows up, creates an impeccable space plan, complete with “zoning” ( you need natural light in the painting area and the kitchen needs to be next to the dance studio and the office should be by the main doors to welcome people and the cafe should connect to the terrace. Ha!) After which he makes you cut the Marley beautifully so that you are actually proud of your work even when you are tired, and now the place look like a stylish design studio.
Clare and Rosie know exactly which mismatched furniture go well in a deliberately non-deliberate way, they fill the world with beautiful plants and know how to throw a great party...
Giacomo, Mati and Paco, as well as having significant metal shifting abilities with their now well developed biceps also bake a fantastic variety of cakes and know when is the right moment to shift from classy cocktail party playlist to chill out zone.
And Lastly while Ellie probably smells really nice it's essential to implicate her in all this. Having seen and been a supporter of Shelter me and our research for Sonntag at The Place last year, Ellie has not only partnered up with us on future site-specific project Aftermath, finding us sites and giving us fantastic advice, she is also the one who has given us this extraordinary new home.
It is rare, as an artist or a small company to have a home, a space where you can think, write, rehearse, paint, share new work, hold classes and workshops and connect with the local community through performances and outreach work, and we feel so deeply indebted to her and everyone at King's Cross for giving us this space to think, create and connect.
Our New Home: The Tapestry Building, King's Cross
We want this to be a hub for locals and visitors alike, a space for artists to come and try out new things, and for locals to see what they have created, and get involved, maybe even try their hand at the trapeze? Adult classes and summer school are starting soon! Our first rehearsals are already underway and our first performances will be this weekend June 16th &17th as part of the King's Cross Canal Festival in Gasholder Park. Stop by and say hi!