A 14-strong cast from Ethiopia will head to Scotland this summer to perform at Underbelly during Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017. The show hopes to establish a new Ethiopian tradition of circus, and uses storytelling, comedy, acrobats and stunts set against a backdrop of the country’s national heritage.
Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams is fronted by the now world-famous jugglers Bibi and Bichu, who have teamed up with Konjowoch Troupe’s acrobats from Addis Ababa to create the show.
Described as an “unashamedly joyful mix of astonishing stunts, astounding circus skills and enchanting adventure”. It relays the “magical story of two Ethiopian brothers whose dream of joining the circus is made real by the Man in the Moon.”
Performed from the perspective of young jugglers Bibi and Bichu, it mixes autobiographical and fictional narratives to tell how the pair became world-class jugglers, charting their innocent beginnings as street buskers and tumblers in the city streets of Jimma, to the years they trained tirelessly to master their craft and realise their dreams of joining the circus.
Bibi and Bichu went on to attend the National Centre for Circus Arts, where they trained under Sean Gandini, director of Gandini Juggling. This summer the duo will begin filming for Big Ears, Tim Burton’s live action remake of Dumbo.
The brothers have performed in a range of shows from children’s television to English National Opera’s production of Akhnetan.
Runs from 5 – 26 August
bibiandbichu.com | underbellyedinburgh.co.uk | edfringe.com
