Smashed: A sensational blend of skill and theatricality inspired by the work of Pina Bausch. A series of nostalgic cinematic scenes exploring conflict, strained relationships, lost love and quaint afternoon tea...

In Smashed, the manipulation of the forbidden fruit takes an astute look at the strained relationships between seven men and two women, flirting with traditional juggling and contemporary circus.

Premiered at the National Theatre's Watch this Space festival in 2010, Smashed is an hour-long piece featuring nine skilled jugglers, 100 red apples and a soundtrack of popular songs ranging from Tammy Wynette to Music Hall to Bach. A series of nostalgic cinematic scenes explore conflict, strained relationships, lost love and afternoon tea. Inspired by the work of the great choreographer Pina Bausch, director Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala have borrowed elements of her gestural choreography and combined them with the intricate patterns and cascades of solo and ensemble juggling. Simultaneously evoking great joy and slight anxiety, Smashed lightly disrupts the rigid conventions of etiquette, dress, and body language. The result is a new hybrid of juggling performed with meticulous unison and split-second timing. Funny, inventive and full of character, this dance-theater-like work will challenge your perception of contemporary juggling.

Formed in 1992 by word-renowned jugglers Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala, Gandini Juggling continue to be at the vanguard of contemporary circus, reinventing and reinvigorating juggling for the 21st century. Gandini celebrates juggling in all its facets, exploring not just what juggling is, but what juggling can be.

Currently and ever-evolving ensemble of virtuosic juggling performers, producing everything from elegant duets to 20- strong choral pieces.

Ferociously prolific, Gandini are constantly creating new work that ranges from edgy visual art experiments to family friendly entertainment; from narrative infused dance escapades to humorous shenanigans.

Liberation call them the “Kings of Juggling” whose works are “...marvels of originality”, whilst The Guardian says of the company “juggling that is not just artful, but art”.

Since their inception, the Gandinis have performed over 5,000 shows in 50 countries. They continue to perform at many of the most prestigious festivals and venues throughout the world.

Their work transcends cultural barriers: the simple pleasure of watching people move whilst keeping objects in the air has a natural theatrical quality that has beguiled audiences globally.

As well as the conventional theatre spaces ad public squares, their performances have taken place in disused quarries, tennis courts, water fountains, art galleries and school playgrounds.

Gandini continue to collaborate with a wide range of leading artists ranging rom ballet choreographers to computer programmers; from costume designers to set makers; mathematicians to composers. They have spent several seasons working with symphonic orchestras, their choreographed juggling patterns lightly meshed to canonical classical works.

In addition to performing, Gandini continue to be very much in demand at leading circus school; teaching workshops, creating performances and supporting the next generation of circus artists. Alongside this, Gandini publish their own books and DVDs, continuing to support the wider understanding of the beautiful possibilities of juggling, for jugglers and non- jugglers alike.

More information is available at www.gandinijuggling.com

Performers Malte Steinmetz, Doreen Grossmann, Jose Angel Triguero Delgado, Carlos Romero, Arron Sparks, Tedros Girmaye, Iñaki Fernandez Sastre, Kati Ylä- Hokkala, Sean Gandini

Director Sean Gandini

Lighting designer Mark Jonathan

Assistant director Kati Yla-Hakkala

Dramaturge John-Paul Zaccarini   

Management production Sophie Rose, Anne-Agathe Prin, Aline Angeli, Tara Boland

“It’s been twenty years since we started doing Contemporary Juggling. We started mixing our discipline to Dance a few years ago, Kati and I are fans of  Dance, including Trisha Brown and Merce Cunningham. The week we were in residency creating Smashed, Pina Bausch died and that’s what inspired us this Baushienne parade. […] For us, this is not a show to be funny, even if people laugh generously. Smashed is a freed composition, with British humor, where we laugh as much tradition  as contemporary jugglers who take themselves very seriously!”

Extract of Sean Gandini interview by Isabelle Pare from the newspaper Le Devoir (Montreal, 4 July 2013)

“This is juggling on a completely different level, past skill, past art. Unsettlingly insane, wholly profound, moving and terrifying all at once.” 

Kroupin, Ivan. (14 August 2013). ED2013 Physical Review. Three weeks

“Smashed is a knowing, knock-out hoot.”

Donald Hutera. (6 August 2013). The Times. “Smashed, Assembly Hall, Pleasance”

“As an indictment on human nature it’s vicious, as theatre, it’s brilliant”

Ribchester, Lucy. (6 August 2013). “Smashed”. Fest

“Juggling: not just artful but art.”

Gardner, Lyn  (19 January 2012). “ Smashed- review”. The Guardian

“There are no words to describe how beautiful the sight of  9 people juggling a whole load of apples can be…”

Reviewed: Smashed, Watch This Space@National Theatre”(16 July2010) Smashed. There Ought to be Clowns