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Showing posts from July, 2017

5 fun facts about Aberdeen

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We love Aberdeen ! It's a fantastic city and has to be one of our favourite places to visit. And it just so happens that we have not one, but TWO shows in Aberdeen at the moment!  The Lady Boys of Bangkok  are performing at Beach Links in the unmistakably-pink Sabai Pavilion until Saturday 29th July... and just down the road at Queens Links you'll find The Chinese State Circus - who will be playing in the Big Top until Sunday 30th July! In fact, the two tents are so close to each other that you can see them both in the bottom-right corner of this Aberdeen evening landscape scene. Here are 5 facts you may not have known about Aberdeen: 1) There are over 30 places named Aberdeen throughout the world (although the one in Scotland is surely the best)! 2) Aberdeen houses Britain's oldest business - the Aberdeen Harbour Board . 3) Aberdeenshire's Craigievar Castle partially inspired Disney's iconic Cinderella Castle , and you can see why!...

Origins of the Chinese Circus

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200 BC – 200 AD – Han Dynasty, Sichuan Province – Juggler with balls and knives – Carving, stone of the “Hundred Games.” [source: Chinese Acrobatics Through The Ages, p15] The origins of the Chinese circus are not entirely crystal clear. There are debates and differing opinions when it comes to the exact history behind the circus, which is not a surprise when you take into account how long it has been around! First records of the Chinese circus - including carvings and mural paintings - date back more than 2,000 years to the Warring States period (475–221 BC), with evidence of performances developing further during the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC - 230 AD). Although it is believed that the art may have actually started around 3,000 years ago! One theory is that the acts originated in imperial courts, with performers entertaining the houses in a manner similar to western court jesters. However, it is more likely that the circus was a folk art that was later adopted by...

World Fringe Day 2017

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World Fringe Day 2017. "The Edinburgh Festival Fringe was the world’s first fringe back in 1947. Fast forward 70 years and there are now more than 200 fringes worldwide. The spark which was ignited in Edinburgh in 1947 has circled the globe and the fringe model has been emulated from Australia to France, Canada to Prague, South Africa to Brighton, China to Brazil, and everywhere in-between. World Fringe Day will take place on Tuesday, 11 July 2017 at the midpoint in the 70th anniversary year. This will be an opportunity for all fringes, venues, participants and audiences across the world to come together to celebrate and to demonstrate the worldwide reach and collective power of fringe." Gandey World Class Productions has been taking shows to perform as part of the Edinburgh Fringe for nearly 20 years and the Brighton Fringe for nearly 15!  So far this year The Lady Boys of Bangkok took their brand spanking new Sabai Pavilion and show ...