Tall Tales Company

Square 2.1

Creation 2020

Tall Tales Company invites you to the first virtual circus performance delivered as an interactive home experience.

Three jugglers, a visual artist and a warm poetic voice will take you on a tour of your own home. Guided from space to space, reminiscing on the beautiful memories you find there, this magical experience will leave you seeing your home in a completely new light.

Square 2.1 is a new version of the performance Square Two, which we had planned to tour internationally in 2020. The project is the result of two years of research by visual artist Don Satijn and the jugglers of Tall Tales Company, gathered together in a series of short, enchanting scenes that take inspiration from the patterns of nature and our daily lives.

Ready for circus in your living room?

Facts & Figures

  • indoor
  • walk act
  • Dutch | English
  • audience participation
  • 8+
  • 45 minutes
  • available online
  • Rotterdam (NL)
  • Website

Tall Tales Company creates visual circus performances in which object manipulation and acrobatics are used to tell stories. With a fascination for human nature, the company presents accessible performances with multiple layers: magical, with risk and a touch of humor.

Tall Tales was founded in 2012 by Harm van der Laan and Maartje Bonarius. Their collaboration already originated at the circus school Codarts Rotterdam where they specialized themselves in aerial works (Maartje) object manipulation (Harm) and partner acrobatics (together).
After a brief additional study in Toulouse, the duo decided to return to Rotterdam, their hometown. From this base they want the Netherlands to get acquainted with circus as an art form.
Under the leadership of theatre maker / dramatist Luc van Esch, they created Weg (2013), an acrobatic and poetic theatre performance about a couple trapped in a relationship. After this experience, they acquired a taste for creating performances and, together with Luc van Esch, they created Solo (2013), a piece about the (im)possibilities of romantic love and Langs (2017) a theatre performance about loneliness with juggling, (air) acrobatics, magic, dance and theatre.
In between, Harm and Maartje created together the performance Turbulence (2015) a family piece about a pilot and a stewardess who are going to fly without an airplane.

In One of these Days (2018), the makers duo opted for a more choreographic approach.
Together with Thomas Falk, they created a performance in which, for the first time, they also enter the stage with four performers.
In 2019, Bonarius and Van der Laan were the second circus theatre makers ever in Dutch history selected for the ‘new makers arrangement’ of the Dutch Fund for the Performing Arts.
Square Two (2020) is the first show to be created and played entirely by Tall Tales Company. A site specific performance in which juggling patterns and visual art merge.

Concept, direction
Maartje Bonarius & Harm van der Laan
Jugglers
Joris de Jong, Maartje Bonarius, Harm van der Laan
Visual Artist
Don Satijn
Dramaturgy
Luc van Esch
External Eye
Sean Gandini
Music & voice
Jasper Boeke
Text
Mischa Andriessen
Camera & Montage
Piet van Steen
Photography
Megin Zondervan
Website & design
Niels de Vries
Production    
Rosalie Witte
Diffusion & Marketing
HH Producties, Huub Heye & Tanja Ruiter
 

Co-production
Rotterdam Circusstad

With support of
Fonds Podiumkunsten, BNG Cultuurfonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, Gemeente Rotterdam, Norma Fonds, Mr. August Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds, Stichting Bevordering van Volkskracht, CBK Rotterdam

Residencies
Universität Münster, Maison des Jonglages, Atelier Blanchefosse, Sea Change Arts, Circus Studio Rotterdam, Zirkus-Wissenschaft

Other perfomances of Tall Tales Company