///////
"Since my early days, when watching Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling in The Royal Wedding, I was fascinated by gravity-defying optical trickeries." Tobias Wegner, co-creator of LEO
"The audience gets gravity-defying spectacle and the wizard behind the curtain at the same time."
Claudia La Rocco, The New York Times
///////
What happens when the laws of gravity suddenly change?
An ordinary man's world becomes unhinged in this gleeful combination of circus and theater arts, a gravity-defying performance of exceptional acrobatic talents and optical illusions. Limitless worlds are created out of confined spaces thanks to ingeniously projected video animations. Pictures drawn in chalk come to life and morph into new scenery and landscapes. The audience wonders what's real and what's projected—and which way is up—as reality becomes delightfully skewed along Leo’s highly imaginative journey.
LEO won several major awards at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For all ages.
///////
Performed by William Bonnet Direction Daniel Brière Creative Producer Greg Parks Original Idea by Tobias Wegner Choreography Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola Animation Ingo Panke Video Design Heiko Kalmbach Set and Lighting Flavia Hevia
///////
William Bonnet (performer) was born in Avignon, France, took his first steps in the circus world with the French company Couleurs Mécaniques. Afterwards, he attended the Ècole de Cirque de Lomme near Lille, where he specialized in aerial acrobatics on the aerial straps. He eventually added various disciplines, such as hand-on-hand acrobatics, hip hop dance, floor acrobatics, and clown performance, to his artistic repertoire at the National Circus School in Montréal, Canada. William’s skills were seen at the opening of the 30th Festival Mondial de Cirque de Demain in Paris and Montréal, and with many other companies and directors including Circle of Eleven, Franco Dragone, and 7 fingers.
Daniel Brière (director) is the artistic director of the Montrèal based Nouvelle Theatre Experimental, where he has been performing and creating new plays since 2003. As an actor, he has performed in many theatres in Canada and Europe since his graduation from the Conservatoire. On television, he was seen in Caméra Café and the popular family comedy Les Parents. On the big screen, his performances have included parts in Le déclin de l’empire américain, La moitié gauche du frigo, Gaz Bar Blues and C’est pas moi je le jure, presented in several film festivals. Daniel has directed some twenty plays including Bashir Lazhar and La Fin.
///////
Festival Producer The Virgina and Harvey Kimmel Arts Education Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation
Festival Co-Producers Cat, Annie and Steven Bohnenberger
