SALISBURY’s City Encounters festival returns for the May bank holiday weekend, 29th to 31st May, with open air circus performances, dance, theatre, comedy and music in the Guildhall and Market Squares, Salisbury Cathedral Close and the grounds of Salisbury Arts Centre.
From hip-hop to playful puppetry, from physical theatre to contemporary dance, there is something for all tastes and ages as some of the country’s most adventurous and inspiring performers come to Salisbury. The programme has been created by Wiltshire Creative and supported by Without Walls to bring together up-and-coming companies, established street artists and those making their first foray into creating work for the public space.
The performers include twin sisters Kristina and Sade of Alleyne Dance, in their new work, Bonded, which uses abstract narrative, West African dance, circus skills and athleticism; Black Victorians, a dance piece inspired by the discovery of hundreds of portraits of black people from Victorian England; Altered States with The Invisible Man, inspired by HG Wells’ famous novel, to raise awareness of issues including d/Deafness, homelessness and ageing; Pif-Paf with TOAST, a growing, communal celebration of food, song, story, dance and fire performed around a mobile kitchen cart; and Nikki Charlesworth’s What Happened to You? with three raggedy puppets and real-life stories to highlight the importance of access and inclusion.
All events are free, but social distancing means that numbers are limited and tickets must be booked – www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk
Fanny Charles
