Our Story

I was a graffiti artist here in Bristol back in the 80s when the city’s now famous street art scene was just emerging. Like circus, graffiti is an alternative, fast-moving, visual and immediate art form. In the 90s I studied 3D design, something which has a huge bearing on the way I make shows today – I am very design-driven and the immediate visual impact of my work is foremost.

Whilst studying I was introduced to the world of circus. I travelled the world performing a one-man street show. Along the way I was inspired by some great circuses like Cirque Archaos who were producing really avant-garde shows that combined live art, circus and chainsaws… Nothing like that existed in the UK and I started to see that I could make something exciting and different.

And that’s what Billy and I set out to do.  In the beginning we were performing, making props, directing shows, loading vans and blowing things up. Since then the company has grown dramatically in terms of scale and aspiration, and the backup of our great team now helps us realise our vision and brings new ideas to the mix.

I love mixing modern technology and styles of movement with circus.  Above all, I love the element of surprise that circus affords. I always aim to give the audience a truly unique experience – something extraordinary that they won’t get anywhere else. I want them to feel like they ‘had to be there’.

julian@cirquebijou.co.uk

The best circus crosses so many art forms. It tells stories to people of all ages and backgrounds and it can surprise, shock and make you cry all at once. That is the kind of circus I aspire to make. I enjoy working outside of my comfort zone and being able to push artists into new areas. As a former circus artist, my interests also lie in the detail of the circus skills, and in pushing those skills to new levels.

I’ve had unparalleled experiences creating Cirque Bijou shows – it’s impossible to choose a favourite. Battle for the Winds was a true epic, celebrating London 2012 with 52 shows in 7 UK counties – with thousands of artists and hundreds of thousands of audience members. By contrast, limited resources meant we made the first Extraordinary Bodies show in only 10 days, with an exceptional company of disabled and non-disabled artists. We were using a huge new piece of circus equipment designed especially for the show which was a challenge in the timescale, but the success of that show has now resulted in an international integrated circus project.

The best work I have made has always been collaborative, whether with new artists, musicians, co-directors, choreographers, or with clients and co-producers. It involves putting together the right team, belief in each other’s abilities, and having a collective creative vision to go for something truly ambitious. I’d like to think this is the Cirque Bijou blueprint.

billy@cirquebijou.co.uk

During my many years with Cirque Bijou, I’ve had the opportunity to see the company grow exponentially from a provider of innovative entertainment and new circus performance to a nationally recognised and influential organisation with many strings to its bow. Growing and learning alongside the company, I’ve been part of Cirque Bijou’s leadership since 2017.

From marketing to finance to strategy and business development, I oversee the operations and support the Artistic Directors to drive the company forward and realise our ambitions. Since 2018, half of my time has been committed to our groundbreaking ACE-funded project Extraordinary Bodies, in partnership with Diverse City.

It’s a long running joke that Billy and Julian come back from each show saying ‘that was the best show we’ve ever done’. The brilliant thing about Cirque Bijou is that usually, that’s true. We’re a very experienced, creative and efficient team who learn from each project and thrive on working hard to achieve extraordinary things.

You can contact me if you’d like to talk about a new show or project with us, to discuss a partnership or co-production opportunity, or if you are interested in working with us.

geraldine@cirquebijou.co.uk

As Senior Producer I take the lead on some of the biggest Bijou projects.  I love being an integral part of creating and organising shows, coming up with ideas for unusual briefs, working closely with artists, crew and clients on the logistics, and seeing all the planning come to life whilst getting my hands dirty onsite.

Happiness is very important to me; it takes happy artists and a happy team to make great shows, and great shows make happy audiences and happy clients. I hope that my energy, enthusiasm, knowledge and passion keeps everyone smiling. The brilliant thing about Cirque Bijou is that every day throws up a new challenge and we all build on our expertise with every job.

kate@cirquebijou.co.uk

I joined Cirque Bijou in 2020 as Arts Administrator and am now very happy to be holding the role of Company Manager.  Coming from a varied career background in administration, I was always looking to enter the arts sector and so jumped at the opportunity to join the Bijou family.

As Company Manager I work very closely with all the team and try to be the person with all the info! One of my favourite aspects of the role is how varied it is – I manage our marketing and finance, deal with HR and new enquiries and produce shows. It’s busy, and I love it.

I also work as producer for our ground-breaking project Extraordinary Bodies (the UK’s leading integrated professional circus company) in partnership with Diverse City.

rachel@cirquebijou.co.uk

It is my job to support the artistic elements across our projects, by holistically looking after the nuts and bolts of the creation process.  Unsurprisingly I really enjoy logistics and planning. However, the most satisfying aspect of my role is taking an initial idea and helping to realise it.

My interest in the arts started at a very young age and has led me through a wonderful and varied career so far. From large, international, televised events, to a two-hander show in a local school. Each of these have presented their own challenges and rewards and taught me something new. Circus is no different. I love the energy and passion of those working in it. I don’t think I will ever cease to be amazed by artists creating something beautiful and astonishing, with such skill and grace.