FROM OUR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR : FREERUNNING AT BELL SQUARE

This Saturday at Bell Square, Compagnie Yann Lheureux from France bring us their show, Flagrant Delire. In English, this translates as something like ‘audacious frenzy’. It’s a freerunning show on a large scaffolding structure, based on the story of Icarus. In Greek mythology, the story goes that Icarus was imprisoned with his father in a labyrinth on the island of Crete. His father was a skilled craftsman and built wings made of feathers and wax so that the two of them could try to escape from the labyrinth by flying out of it. Warning his son Icarus not to fly too high and close to the sun, they took flight. But overwhelmed by the exhilaration of flying, Icarus ignored his father’s warning, soaring ever higher. When the sun melted the wax in his wings, he fell into the sea and drowned. The story serves as a cautionary reminder of the dangers of arrogance and audacity.

Flagrant Delire is based on this idea of trying to fly. The performer makes repeated attempts to fly but gravity always pulls him back down to the ground again. The effort is intense. In the end, he attaches his wings and makes one final attempt.

The story is told through freerunning, an athletic and acrobatic discipline that combines elements of both sport and artistic performance. Freerunning evolved from parkour, a system for efficiently and practically moving past a series of obstacles. Parkour has its roots in South East Asian martial arts and influenced the French military forces in the First Indochina War in the 1940s and ‘50s. It was then used widely for military training. It gained public popularity, though, when it was heavily featured by Jackie Chan in his Hong Kong action movies and was also evident in the films of Bruce Lee.

Freerunning, though, places greater emphasis on artistic expression and creativity, allowing performers to move more fluidly in their environment. It was developed by Sebastian Foucan who wanted to create a discipline that was more personal and adaptable, that allowed for more individual expression and creativity in movement.

Freerunning can incorporate stylish flips, tricks and acrobatics, setting it apart from parkour's focus on practical and efficient movement. Performers draw inspiration from sports like gymnastics, tricking, and breakdancing, enabling them to create their own unique moves and flows in different environments. Freerunning quickly became a dynamic blend of athleticism, artistry and personal expression. Its emphasis on creativity made it a compelling and visually stunning discipline which gained popularity through founder Sébastien Foucan’s appearances in films such as Casino Royale and Madonna’s Confessions Tour.

In Yann Lheureux’s Flagrant Delire show, the large scaffolding structure simulates the challenging urban environment where freerunning usually takes place. As the performer jumps and runs effortlessly on and around the structure, it creates the audacious frenzy leading to the moment when Icarus attempts to fly.

Come and see this acrobat of urban space on Saturday 29 July at Bell Square! The performance is at 2.00 pm. As always, it’s free, no need to book, and everybody’s welcome.

Look forward to seeing you there!