From stilt walking mermaids to sword swallowing women; from mysterious magicians through to gardeners on trapezes, the 10th Festival of Fools has got it all and everything in between. To celebrate a coming of age, the Festival brings artists from Canada, USA, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Germany and Spain together with leading street performers from Belfast, UK and Ireland in a riotous assembly of laughter lasting five days over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. From Thursday 2nd May to Monday 6th May, there will be non-stop breathtaking action and laughter across the streets of Belfast City Centre and Cathedral Quarter, with more than 130 performances free of charge.
The Opening Ceremony features the acclaimed physical comedy company Bash Street Theatre. Inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s classic film, ‘The Circus’, this show creates some of the finest slapstick to be seen around Europe today and sets it to a backdrop of live music to create an ambience of nostalgia and laugh out loud comedy.
Some of the most surreal performances to hit the streets of Belfast will be seen in the shape of a man with a saxophone for a head; Dr Palfi, the world’s only laughologist, who will be continuing his relentless campaign to stop Natural Causes – the biggest cause of death in the world today; Travelling Obo, a mythical creature whose journey to Belfast is documented in a specially commissioned short film available on the Festival’s facebook page; an alternative walking tour courtesy of Misguided Tours; and the incomparable Chris Lynam whose comedy is so unpredictable even he doesn’t know what comes next!
Also appearing at his first Festival of Fools is Martin Bigpig aka stand-up comedian Martin Mor. Martin began his performance career more than 20 years ago with Belfast Circus School as a street performer, but has since gone on to carve out a successful career as one of the UK’s busiest and funniest comics on the stand-up circuit. Returning to his roots for one weekend only, Martin will be performing his street show in addition to compering the Big Finish Cabarets.
The multinational collaboration, Hip Cirq Europ’, brings together emerging artists from 6 EU countries in an exciting fusion of Hip Hop dance, Parkour and Contemporary Circus in a way never before seen in Northern Ireland. The show is the only ticketed event in the Festival of Fools and will be taking place in T13 on 3 & 4 May at 8pm, and at a very affordable £5 adult and £3 concessions/under 18s.
This year there are 17 restaurants, bars and cafes taking part in the Festival of Foods, which offers a huge range of discounts for audiences if they present a voucher from the brochure or website. Using the bus or train is the easy way to reach the festival and there is a wide range of great value bus and rail ticket options to choose from Translink.
With non stop shows throughout the day in locations across the City Centre and Cathedral Quarter, each evening finishes with The Big Finish – a variety style show featuring highlights from the day’s acts in the relaxed surroundings of Saint Anne’s Square. You’d be a fool to miss it!
http://www.foolsfestival.com/2012/
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