Press Release: JACKSONS LANE: ENCORE FILM RELEASED - FEATURING CIRCUS IN A CONSTRUCTION SITE - MARKING 120 DAYS UNTIL RE-OPENING

[Jan McNulty]

JACKSONS LANE: ENCORE FILM RELEASED - FEATURING CIRCUS IN A 
CONSTRUCTION SITE - MARKING 120 DAYS UNTIL RE-OPENING

FULL FILM JACKSONS LANE: ENCORE HERE
TRAILER HERE|
 

 

Building works at Jacksons Lane are currently well underway and on schedule for a mid-September re-opening. Artistic Director Adrian Berry and Executive Director Monique Deletant have been determined that closure (since November 2020) did not mean continued engagement with artists and the community would cease. Creating a year-round programme that encompasses the best in contemporary performance, arts participation, cultural education and outreach work for both its community and the sector as a whole has been a continued priority whilst the redevelopment of the building and its facilities continues apace in order to  match Jacksons Lane’s  ambition and vision for the future.

 

Jacksons Lane has an international reputation for Circus and its support for artists has not wavered during closure. In March this year they launched Arts Council supported funding scheme Hangwire where artists received cash awards and residency space to develop innovative new work in the coming months; and now it launches Jacksons Lane: Encore - a film that features circus artists performing amidst the rubble and entwined in the scaffolding, to tell a story of resilience and the desire to perform against the odds.

 

Strong Lady, Charmaine Childs said: 'Standing in the rubble of the Jackson’s Lane, mid-renovation - seeing it with it’s makeup off, as it were, was like an amplified version of that feeling of being backstage, waiting to go on….  The building itself is slowly dressing for the show and waiting to step out in front of audiences once again.‘

 

As theatres have come back to life, the film signals the road ahead for this gem of an arts centre and gives a taste of what’s to come when the doors reopen and the building reanimates.

 

Adrian Berry said ‘As Jacksons Lane was unable to open this last year, due to the combination of the building redevelopment and COVID, it made us more determined than ever to find a way to employ circus artists and create new work. Whilst the building is a construction site, that wasn’t going to stop us. Working with long-time circus associate and director Kaveh Rahnama and frequent film collaborator Mark Morreau, we created Jacksons Lane: Encore a 7-minute journey through our venue-in-progress– scaffolding, rubble and all – with 10 circus artists working in former spaces, up high on giant modular frames and upside down in rediscovered arches. This moving and highly skilled work comprises acrobatics, aerial work, juggling and cyr wheel in every space at Jacksons Lane.’

 

Based on Archway Road, the organisation is still fundraising to meet fit out costs and complete its vision to be a state of the art complex, rooted in the community.

 

Fundraising campaigns including ‘Donate A Door’, ‘Love a Lantern’, ‘Buy a Brick’ and ‘Sponsor a Seat’ with a target of £30,000 will be launched later this month to ensure that the project’s completion can match the ambition to become a building worthy of its vision. 

 

Past local resident Jonathan Pryce said: ‘We lived in Jacksons Lane for over 20 years. I have warm memories of the building’s past and great hopes for its future. It is a huge asset for the entire community and I know from my family’s personal experience (I rehearsed Hamlet’s sword fight there in 1980!) it is invaluable. Please give it all the support you can.’

 

Working with renowned Architects Citizens Design Bureau, the redevelopment aims to push the boundaries of artistic excellence with spaces that are inspiring and beautiful, practical and accessible. The new Jacksons Lane will be environmentally sustainable and will nurture curiosity in the Arts by future proofing the spaces and operational systems for the next generation and welcoming even more people through its doors to participate, experience, learn, work and socialise. The vision is to be welcoming, inspiring and accessible to everyone, more visible and inviting, and more reflective of its personality and ambition. 

 

Jacksons Lane’s reopening season will be announced this summer.

 

For details of the redevelopment programme here.

 

 

Film Credits and Artists Bios

 

Jacksons Lane: Encore

Director: Kaveh Rahnama
Cinematography and Editing: Mark Morreau
Lighting Design: Will Monks
Sound Design: Liam Quinn
Gaffer and Assistant Camera: Simon Jackson
Stage Management and COVID Safety: Jackie Le
Production Coordinator: Flora Herberich

With special thanks to: Richard Baker, Site Manager
Produced by: Jacksons Lane

 

Director Kaveh Rahnama Biog

Kaveh has been performing and devising circus theatre work for the last 15 years. He has been an associate artist of Jacksons Lane since 2009 and is also an associate artist at Stratford Circus.In 2007, Kaveh graduated from the National Centre for Circus Arts and co-founded So & So Circus. With So & So he created two hugely successful devised touring shows, The Hot Dots (2009/10/11) and Backgammon for beginners (2012/13).

 

His devising and touring work also includes Little Red (performer/deviser), Life on wheels (associate director, 2015), Lab Rat (Director, 2015), The Party (performer/deviser 2014/15), Rapunzel (UK tour 2014/15), The Fairy Queen (UK and European tour 2010) and Box of Frogs (UK tour 2011/12). 

 

He has worked with Mimbre on acrobatic choreography and teaching their youth groups, Ockhams Razor on the initial stages of their current touring show Tipping Point, with Molly Orange as acrobatic choreographer for Little Wonder as well as many other engagements as acrobatic coach and outside eye.

 

His main interests are working with circus and visual arts to create narrative-based theatre and he is a regular teacher at the National Centre for Circus Arts (formerly Circus Space) and at Jacksons Lane's in-house circus workshops and as part of their outreach programme (JL Circus).

 

Jacksons Lane: Encore Performed and Self-Taped by:

 

Charmaine Childs
Charmaine Childs is a Circus Strong Lady. As a self-producing artist, Charmaine has been touring internationally for almost 20 years to outdoor arts festivals and theatres, as well as variety shows and events. She also teaches workshops, teaches at a university, works as an event speaker, and acts as an MC/Host/Compere for events and cabarets.

Originally from Australia, Charmaine now lives in the UK.

 

Mike Corr
Mike started his journey in 2003 at the age of 11 when he happened to be watching the Freerunning documentary Jump London. This instantly became the focus of Mike’s childhood and he spent every possible moment teaching himself. A few years later Mike came to learn about Martial Arts Tricking (a blend of martial arts and gymnastics) and made this his new focus, in 2011 Mike became a founding member of the UK’s leading Tricking team ‘Genetrics’.

 

In 2011 Mike enrolled in the 3 year B.A course at The National Centre for Circus Arts specialising in Acrobatic Juggling, Cyr Wheel and Hand to Hand.

 

After graduating in 2014 Mike has worked across a huge variety of shows and performances. From being cast as a specialist in world renowned operas and ballets, performing in olympic stadiums in front of tens of thousands of people, performing in commercials, feature films & viral videos which have been viewed millions of times.

 

Joana Dias
Joana is a Portuguese dancer, singer and circus artist, she graduated from NCCA in London in 2016. Joana is in the process of creating her first debut solo show called 89 with director Victoria Amedume. This autobiographical theatre / circus piece will explore identity, heritage and the impact of trauma on memory.

 

Ella Golt
Ella Golt creates across a wide range of media including performance video and drawing, experimenting with comedy techniques, identity, traditional craft, and play.  Ella imaginatively subverts materials and references, exploring our innate joy in discovery.

 

Ella Golt studied BA Fine Art at University of East London and MFA Sculpture at The Slade School of Art, as well as extensive research in clowning. Her work has been seen widely both In the UK and abroad in solo, group, residency, curator/exhibitor, commissions and designer/performer elements.

 

Leo Hedman
Leo Hedman channels his creativity through performative art, contemporary circus and design. He has performed in major festivals, circus spaces, art centres and corporate events around the world, including London's Barbican, The Roundhouse, Shunt, Ministry of Sound, Jackson's Lane, and Stratford Circus; Glastonbury Festival (UK); Subtopia Festival and Salong Giraff (Sweden); for BBC, NHS, GBC, ITV, Channel 4, Pirates of the Carribean II, Flight Centre. Events taking place in Germany, Holland, Israel, USA, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and India.

 

Maz Olayiwola
Maz is a member of Marawa’s Majorettes, an all-female international performance troupe that holds the Guinness World Record for most hoops spun by a group of ten.

 

Si Rawlinson
Si is the Artistic Director of Wayward Thread, a hip hop dance company. Rooted in breakdancing, Wayward Thread used hip hop styles, contemporary dance, physical theatre, and spoken word to explore compassion, identity, and a dissonant relationship with a rapidly changing world.

Hong Kong born to English and Chinese parents, Si is a UK-based hip hop choreographer and Curve Theatre Resident Artist. Si lectures at De Montfort University.

 

Natalie Reckert
Nataoie attended the  National Centre for Circus Arts in London.where she studied dance and theatre from 2004-2007 specialising in handbalancing under Janchivdorj Sainbayar. She then spent a study year at Visions in Motion dance school where she was able to integrate contemporary dance and acrobatics. She has toured in Variety theatres, with theatre and dance companies and with international shows. She also taught in Nepal at Circus Kathmandu.  In 2014 she made her first solo performance, Selfie with eggs and from 2016 onwards started working with film maker Mark Morreau jointly making Natalie Inside Out, as well as beginning to compere shows and develop her own coaching concepts.

 

Ed Stephen and Kieran Warner – Simple Cypher
Simple Cypher is a company built through the foundations of hip hop and circus, founded in 2016 by Kieran Warner and Chris Thomas. Style, originality and unity are key fundamentals of hip hop culture and have had a profound influence on their development as artists and the work they create. Since forming, they have collaborated with a host of hip hop and circus artists and presented work to audiences at festivals and venues across the UK and Europe. 

 

Simple Cypher met whilst training in hip hop dance at Swindon Dance’s Urban CAT scheme, then continued their training at the National Centre for Circus Arts where they specialized in Cyr wheel. Joined by a passion for hip hop and circus, it was a natural development to collaborate and create new work together. After winning the National Centre for Circus Arts Business Plan Award, Simple Cypher was born.

 

Notes to Editors

About Jacksons Lane
Jacksons Lane is the flagship arts and cultural venue in Haringey, creating a year-round programme: the best in contemporary circus and family performance, arts participation, cultural education and outreach work for its community and the arts sector.

 

We are committed to leading the way in the creation, production, presentation and artist/audience development of contemporary circus theatre and are the number 1 circus venue in the UK.

 

Jacksons Lane exists to empower, and ignite creativity within diverse communities and works tirelessly to overcome traditional barriers – including age, socioeconomic background and geography – to achieve full engagement with the arts for everyone.

 

Since 1975, we have been a key cultural and social hub for north London, and as of September 2021, our building will reopen to the public, completely rejuvenated by a comprehensive capital project completed with financial contributions from Arts Council England and Haringey Council. Prior to COVID 19  over 3,800 people passed through our doors a week.

 

During the pandemic we have continued to reach over 100 young people with weekly online workshops, quarantine sessions and almost 1,000 older adults through creative activities. Our building has hosted NHS scrub makers and 93 artists who needed free space to rehearse. We handed over 250 food hampers to older adults on Christmas Day alone.

 

The project will allow us to connect with a new generation of visitors, artists and participants in a building that is fully physically accessible to all guests.     

 

We are a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England; a key strategic partner for the delivery of Haringey Council's plans to make Haringey a great place to live and work; and in receipt of multi-year grants from City Bridge Trust and BBC Children in Need to support the large-scale participation and education work we do with diverse communities across London.

 

About Citizens Design Bureau
Citizens Design Bureau was established as a co-operative company of architects. We enjoy working with interesting people to make unusual things happen, developing rigorously practical solutions that are woven with ingenuity and make people smile.

Our aim is to make good design accessible, humane and sensitively sustainable so in addition to a traditional architectural design service, we offer one-off 'back of the envelope' idea surgeries, collaborative design sessions, organisational and brief development workshops.

 

Our work covers a range of scales from public buildings to products and digital interfaces. Current work includes: Refurbishment and extension of the Manchester Jewish Museum (due for completion in Spring 2020); New dance and music recording studios for East London Dance and Urban Development Music in Stratford (due for completion in Winter 2019); refurbishment and remodelling of Jacksons Lane Arts Centre (due for completion 2021); concept, business plan and feasibility modelling for new Library and housing CLT in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the LLDC; renovation and remodelling of St. Peter in the Forest Church; and Village Design Statements for Cambridgeshire villages. 

 

Recently completed work includes: furniture, finishes, signage for the Stirling Prize winning Everyman theatre in Liverpool (with Haworth Tompkins Architects), Royal Court Theatre bar and Kitchen (with Lyndon Goode Architects), and numerous private dwellings.

 

Citizens Design Bureau director, Katy Marks, was previously Project Architect of the National Theatre Studio refurbishment, Young Vic Theatre, Everyman Theatre whilst at Haworth Tompkins Architects.

Collectively we also have a multi-disciplinary range of experience in teaching and research and have qualified Passivhaus designer status.