Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

04 May 2008 19:00:26

Mini Mansell

i was waiting for someone else to start this off so the first one wouldnt be
so negative. but no one posted so far so.

for the Organisers. please note. none of the comments are personal.

High

The sun was out, lots of people playing outside, and sitting chilling on
th grass. was a lovely few hours.

Low

The show. All of it. literally.
The stage was incredibly poorly lit. if a performer stood downstage they
dissapeared into the gloom. a little stage management could have resolved
this. tell your performers to stay in the light.

The Compere's where attrocious. Please. someone tell them to take a
course in presentation, in use of a microphone. in humour. in bloody
everything.

The acts struggled on a stage with the lighting, but any energy they
managed to build was destroyed by the Two screaming harpies that came on
between acts to ruin the flow.

Goal

To juggle. to chill with mates. tick there.

Crush

Twas Emily, (again)

Bane

knowing that after an act, the compere's would appear again.

All in all a poor end to a day.

i enjoyed the day before then, a few things i would personally change.

some music in the hall would have been nice for me but i had my ipod, and i
know not everyone likes music.

some games that where not either Gladiators or endurance. poor, poor.
showed a real lack of creativety.

That reads as a bad review. unfortunately it is. it wa s day with so
much promise. lots of people. lots of nice vibes, the sun was shining
etc. but in 5 yrs time, no one will remember any of that. they will
remember the shit bits.

Mini

--
"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe
impossible things."
"I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen.
"When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day.
Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before
breakfast."
www.minimansell.com
_._,_.___

04 May 2008 19:45:40

It's Him

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

Mini Mansell wrote:
>
> i was waiting for someone else to start this off so the first one wouldnt be
> so negative. but no one posted so far so.
>
> for the Organisers. please note. none of the comments are personal.
>
>
> High
>
> The sun was out, lots of people playing outside, and sitting chilling on
> th grass. was a lovely few hours.
>
true
>
> Low
>
> The show. All of it. literally.
> The stage was incredibly poorly lit. if a performer stood downstage they
> dissapeared into the gloom. a little stage management could have resolved
> this. tell your performers to stay in the light.

I couldn't actually tell if there was any stage management at all. This
was unlike previous BCCs which had come across as competently run. Simple
things that should have happened included music not being played for the
acts and nobody able to set or clear the stage between acts. Music when it
was played was either too quiet or too loud.

>
> The Compere's where attrocious. Please. someone tell them to take a
> course in presentation, in use of a microphone. in humour. in bloody
> everything.

Your spelling is atrocious but your sentiments were correct. The comperes'
ability to do anything other than shout into a microphone was limited.
They were unable to introduce the acts properly which is the minimum that
is required for a compere. Even going so far as to ask the audience to
cheer loudly for an act they were introducing without naming the act or
saying what they were about to do. I know that being a compere can be a
hard job but this looked like it had been planned in the pub the night
before.

>
> The acts struggled on a stage with the lighting, but any energy they
> managed to build was destroyed by the Two screaming harpies that came on
> between acts to ruin the flow.
>

The acts were not particularly memorable, the best being Freddy Sheed and
friend in the renegade show beforehand. Jon Peat has a nice act that was
too droppy and his music was too quiet. Norbi had less drops in his show
than I have ever seen before (2) but he has done so many one day
conventions that everybody has seen his stuff too many times. The glow act
wasn't helped by the comperes coming on before he had finished. Nothing
stood out as memorable and this is the first show I have been to anywhere
where I can say that.

>
> Goal
>
> To juggle.

Actually did quite a lot of this, which is very rare nowadays.

Other than the show I had quite an enjoyable day. Enjoyed Pan's workshop.
Met up with some old friends. Was impressed by the number of faces Jay's
daughter can pull. Was annoyed that I came second to the same person in
both the ball and club gladiators (and I don't care how unoriginal the
games are). Felt like I had achieved something by the end of the day.

Nigel

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04 May 2008 20:28:10

MonkeyJuggler

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

I had a grand time in the main.
I missed most of last year's event so it was nice to get back to a BCC
properly this year.

Highs:
Improving my/our passing with 7 and 8 clubs. Ultimates with 7 is so
nearly there and 8 club singles is definitely looking possible now.
Sitting on the field and chatting about all sorts.
Giggling a lot (particularly when trying to explain f numbers to Clurb).
In the show I did like the Jons (Peat, Booth and Udry) although droppiness
infected at least 2 of them. I also liked the beatboxer in the renegade.
The lovely Iranian meal a bunch of us had before the show.

Lows:
The show really was dark and the comperes really didn't need to shout so
much. Microphones allow you to dispense with the need for your own volume.
2 long breaks in the show and a really long raffle
The gym space at Ladywood is not the nicest room I've ever been in either.
Good job the field's so pleasant.

No goals.

Crush:
No-one for their skills of manipulation. Just nice people to talk to.

Bane:
Darkness.
Ear damage from the comperes.
Camera battery dying.

As I said I had a rather good day despite any negatives.
Have fun.

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04 May 2008 20:48:00

harry smith

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

05 May 2008 07:55:31

plumsie

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

High: Ice cream van, nice weather, loads of friendly faces, nice Iranian
restaurant.

Low: Bad wrist preventing me from juggling, accident playing hockey
leaving me with no skin on my right shin, 2 long intervals and a long
raffle.

Goal: make it back to see Jon Peat in the show, check.

Crush: Clurb for being lovely and Jon Booth for his mad skillz with a
diabolo.

Bane: Comperes that don't know how to use a microphone, comperes that are
not able to introduce acts properly, comperes that come back on stage
before the acts have finished, acts that have been seen too many times
before, bad lighting/no stage management.

All in I had a good day but it didn't end well as the show was
disappointing. Many of the acts were good but poor stage management and
low quality comperes dragged the whole show down.

Must try harder next year.

Plumsie.
........
www.juggler.net/lestival

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05 May 2008 11:29:18

Jay Linn

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

On Sun, 04 May 2008 19:00:26 +0100, Mini Mansell <mini@juggler.net > wrote:

Yes, the comperes sucked. Sorry chaps, but that's just the way it was. No
presence, no vocal control, no stagecraft, no lighting, no co-ordiantion,
and no stage management[1]. Not a complete basket case, because there were
glimmers of wit and thought there, but they were swamped by the
hamfistedness. Hey ho.

In the show I thought Jon Peat rawked excessively, and if he could make
that routine dropless he'd have Kris Kremo scraping his jaw off the
ground. His three ball really is that good, probably good enough for IJA
trophies if it were clean enough. Top stuff.

As usual the hall was gloomy and scruffy. As usual the sun shone enough
to get lots of people outside on the grass loafing the day away, which was
just dandy. I like conventions that distract one from the irritating
business of juggling.

Cheers to all the Brum crew for unlucky 13. Can we have Mackenzie Crook
back next year please?

[1] Note to Joe and Laura : See? *This* is laying it down harshly, not the
friendly negatives you got on your thread.

--
Jay Linn

E pur si muove.

05 May 2008 18:13:54

Will S

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

Highs

Talking to Freddy Sheed after my bit in the show. Watching everyone in the
show rehearsing and hearing Jon Peat's comment immediately after he walked
off stage. The warm weather. Bounce passing 10 balls. Passing 9 clubs with
Florent.

Lows

The show; missing most of it (the perils of performing eh!). Having no
tech run-through and I think all the acts suffered. Juggling onstage and
seeing light where it should have been dark. Dropping so much onstage.
The comperes, only in the second half that I saw they were terrible, and
no one should scream THAT loudly into a microphone, or for that matter do
so much crap between acts. The workshops, it's the second time I've done a
workshop at BCC and only 2 people turned up to this one. Why hold them so
far from the sports hall, or why not just move the main hall into the
canteen/show/workshop area.

Goal

Not drop too much in the show and not forget any part of my routine. I
failed spectacularly, but I didn't forget any of my routine, which I guess
is good.

Crush

Whoever bought in all those bikes, they were fantastic.

Bane

Dropping so much onstage and seeing 2 flashes driving down the motorway,
which probably meant I was driving too fast.

Ho hum
Will

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05 May 2008 12:16:08

cathwood

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

High:
Muni hockey, the ice cream man, lovely weather, lots of nice peeps.

Low:
Being on a curfew and not being allowed to stay to watch the show.

Goal:
To relax and meet some lovely peeps. Do a bit of juggling.
Achieved.

Crush:
Professor Finbar (I think that was his name, the guy who did the
children's show). Because he took time to talk to Sam and show him a
trick, which Sam has been practicing constantly since then.

Bane:
Having to go home early.

Cathy

06 May 2008 10:51:48

fakoriginal

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

Back from Brum [1] with a very short HLCGB since I spent most of the day
outside not actually juggling.

High: Sunny weather - more of this next year please.

Low: Watching Void's camera skid across the floor and knowing it was my
fault.

Crush: The ice-cream van driver for just being there.

Goal: Err, pass.

Bane: Poorly lit stage and the guy who kept standing up in front of me to
take photos - at least he limited himself to one per act.

fak - photos following, maybe.

[1] I took the scenic route.

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06 May 2008 10:52:47

Norbi

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

Lows
- "Lord of the Rings". It's about as original as "you've lost half your
bike".
- Comperes in general. Clearly had not even the first clue about the
juggling community, and didn't take the time to ask anyone about it. Just
assumed they knew best. I shall get further onto this...
NOW
- Tech run...Intros - the comperes didn't (and wouldn't) tell anyone what
they were going to say about them...Lighting - this is it, have fun...
Sound - didn't get tested to my knowledge, especially not with the acts.
Every act was coming up moments before going on, and sorting out when the
music should play...Prop setting - nevermind...Basically the worst show
organizing I've seen. Twinned with the unbelievable lighting (literally, i
couldn't believe it was that bad). It's a good thing it was a strong
show, acts wise (in my opinion).
- On a non-show note - Feeling like i was going to have a heart attack
after eating a burger from the van outside!

Highs
- Winning handstand endurance!
- That super awesome bike you ride with your arse! I want one!
- Jon Udder's choreographed smile
- John Gherkin getting naked for me
- Jon Peat's full penguin cascade among other contorted awesomeness

Goals
- Beat Jon to the convention (failed - Jon, why would you get up so early!)
- Win something in the games (check! - not what i expected, but hey)
- Talk to Nev about a number of diabolo related things (failed! oops)

Crushes
- The Jo(h)ns!

Bane
- The stage, or more importantly the lights...
- Having a headache, a cold, and generally feeling crap the entire day.

Surprise
- Winning handstand endurance!
- Doing as well as i did with a ring, in the club balance endurance.

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06 May 2008 11:33:02

Little Paul

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

On 2008-05-06, Norbi <norbi@norbithejuggler.co.uk.nospam.com > wrote:
> Lows
> - "Lord of the Rings". It's about as original as "you've lost half your
> bike".

and not as funy as "Norbi's going to show us his ring piece"

-Paul
--
paulseward.com - a photo a day for 2008
100jugglers.org - 100 pieces of signed juggling promotional material

06 May 2008 17:57:38

Jay Linn

Re: Birmingham Circus Convention HLGCB

On Tue, 06 May 2008 12:33:02 +0100, Little Paul <usenet@lpbk.net > wrote:

> On 2008-05-06, Norbi <norbi@norbithejuggler.co.uk.nospam.com> wrote:
>> Lows
>> - "Lord of the Rings". It's about as original as "you've lost half your
>> bike".
>
> and not as funy as "Norbi's going to show us his ring piece"

Heard from anonymous persons in the dark somewhere behind me when Norbi
took the stage :-

"It's the Lord of the Rings!"

"More like the bloody Hobbit."

:D

--
Jay Linn

E pur si muove.