IF ONLY I COULD

Outdoor collaboration

3 days- 8 performances- 7500 audience members

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Circus entertainers provided the 'perfect start' to a fortnight-long Festival in Sandwell.

The Express & Star

I still can’t quite believe our first two days of performance are over, it all feels like a bit of a dream. An amazing dream that I don’t feel ready to wake up from!

Allison Bradley, Participant

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If Only I Could… was an outdoor participatory project based in the West Midlands. A visually striking piece of Circus Theatre with a strong but simple story, played out through aerial and balance acts.

If Only I Could followed a simple and traditional narrative of self-discovery. Just as the circus performer seemingly achieves the impossible, a young girl embarks on a journey, encountering the weird and the wonderful, which, in turn, equips her with everything she needs to be literally flying high!

If Only I Could… brought together 4 professional artists, alongside 7 participants, who trained for six weeks throughout the process to develop an exciting new performance platformed as part of Birmingham Hippodrome's Six Summer Saturdays and Sandwell Arts Festival.

The project was led by artists Kim Charnock of RoguePlay and Joe Fearn of Circus Mash, supported by artists Stephen Kerr and Israel Costa and produced by independent producers Pippa Frith and Thomas Wildish.

Through targeted regional recruitment the project worked with 7 young people who were new to circus to build their interest and knowledge of the sector. Their practical skills were developed through a 4-week intensive rehearsal process.

If Only I Could….was support by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Six Summer Saturdays, Birmingham Hippdrome, Sandwell Arts Festival, MAC Birmingham and mentored by Orit Azaz of Nofit State Circus.

LINKS

http://ifonlyicouldblog.wordpress.com/

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/08/13/thousands-see-start-of-sandwell-festival/