Circus Rebels
The inside story of NoFit State
Awdur(on) Stephen Glascoe
Iaith: Saesneg
Dosbarthiad(au): Calon, Media, Film and Theatre
- Mawrth 2026 · 288 tudalen ·216x135mm
- · Clawr Caled - 9781837600502
- · eLyfr - pdf - 9781837600526
- · eLyfr - epub - 9781837600533
What’s it like to run away with the circus?
Cardiff, Wales, 1983. A bunch of university dropouts and unemployed hippies find themselves united by two things: a talent for juggling and a desire to live a different kind of life. They decide it might be fun to juggle their way out of the rat race by founding a circus, which they call ‘NoFit State’.
How does this group grow from its lowly origins as buskers on the city streets to become one of the most admired and respected contemporary circuses in the world?
Stephen Glascoe, a member of NoFit State’s amateur community group ‘Splott State Circus’, takes us behind the scenes of the drama, stress and joy of a radical modern circus.
Based on in-depth interviews with the founders of the circus and many others who have been part of its history, Circus Rebels charts the challenges and triumphs of underdogs turned Welsh creative powerhouse.
Foreword by Jane Davidson
Author’s Note
Prologue: The Battle of the Beanfield
PART ONE: Little NoFit State
1: A Brief History of Juggling
2: Origins
3: A Right Balls Up
4: Balls Up Jugglers is Dead! Long Live NoFit State Circus!
5: Under the Umbrella
6: Theatre of the Abzurd
7: The Blue Tent
8: On the Road
9: Running Away with the Circus: Hired and (not) fired
10: Running Away with the Circus: Reality Bites
11: My Time to Shine!
12: Forward to the Past
PART TWO: Big NoFit State
13: The Director’s Cut: Firenza Guidi
14: The Breakthrough: Autogeddon
15: The Director’s Cut: Orit Azaz
16: Prophecy
17: Now.Here
18: Im.Mortal
PART THREE: Beyond Im.Mortal
19: The Two-Pronged Attack
20: Last Man Standing: Tom Rack
21: Alison Woods: ‘Number crunching is my game. Top-Flight Circus is my aim.’
22: Bianco, Block and Beyond
Epilogue: A Day at The Archives
Afterword