Nicolasas Mathis and Denis Fargeton are a great start to the London International Mime Festival. The French duo are Eeyeore-ish clowns — a sort of Vladimir and Estragon of juggling — whose games of catch and tag conjure images of other things. Their double, whole-body juggling uses the plainest of balls, yet when they knock them into the air you see fireworks and fountains and the Crick-Watson double helix.
They also play with pace and shape, and then tease you, making you think they’re about to juggle with a cello and accordion, then chairs and buckets — they hint at wardrobe juggling, somehow pretending to do something dangerous like the extreme circus that’s been fashionable of late. Only then they scratch a Bach tune on their rickety instruments and slide on water like larky kids.
It is gentle and beguiling, and very funny. The "roof leak" sequence is like a low-key Laurel and Hardy. The sequence when Mathis throws balls at Fargeton who catches them like a puppy is also very good, as is the paper-folding joke and what can only be described as "break juggling".
There are a few French mysticisms, too many(dripping taps, bed-sit styling), but these aside this is a fine show.
Until 13 January. LIMF until 25 January. Information: www.mimefest.co.uk.
London International Mime Festival: Collectif Petit Travers: Le Parti Pris Des Choses
