Daredevil Circus And Non-Stop Brass Rhythms At Pontio

On 4 and 5 November, French circus company Circa Tsuica makes its Welsh debut at Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre, Bangor with the hit show Opus 7, a feel-good blend of daredevil acrobatics and ripping brass rhythms. Giving the show some local flavour, Circa Tsuica’s eight acrobat-musicians will be joined on stage by Band Jazz Tryfan, the jazz band of Ysgol Tryfan. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The band’s 26 musicians, aged between 12 and 16, are working with Circa Tsuica’s music director Camille Secheppet to learn the show’s repertoire of Balkan brass and American jazz – and add their own Welsh sounds into the mix. They will also learn Circa Tsuica’s technique of ‘sound painting’ so they can move as they play – though the serious acrobatics will be left to the professionals! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The resulting show is an hour of non-stop brass beats, risk-taking circus tricks and quirky humour where the performers never drop a note and the audience gets to join in the party. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Band Jazz Tryfan leader Owain Arwel Davies said: “This project with Circa Tsuica is a great opportunity to learn something new from an inspired team of musicians and performers and we are all very excited about it. Following our first workshop with the company, we think it is going to be the start of something really special.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Opus 7 is part of Circus Evolution, a strategic touring initiative created to ensure that more high-quality contemporary circus work reaches a wider range of people across England and Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rachel Clare, who leads the project, said: “Opus 7 offers humour and spectacle, acrobatic and musical skill. Perhaps most exciting of all, it also gives local musicians to work with French artists to inspire their musicianship and perform with them at some of the most prominent regional venues in the country, including the wonderful new Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Another Bangor-based brass band and community regeneration project Codi’r Tô will be playing in the foyer before the show. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Friday 4 November at 7.30pm & Saturday 5 November at 2pm ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Theatr Bryn Terfel ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pontio, Ffordd Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2TQ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Box office: 01248 38 28 28 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tickets: £12 (£10 concessions); £40 Family Ticket ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

(a group of 4 people including at least one under 18 years) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Free Q&A after the show on 4 November ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​