Already awarded a Total Theatre & Jacksons Lane Award for Circus, and shortlisted for the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, Nikki & JD have now also been presented with a Herald Angel Award for Knot. Attracting a huge amount of excitement at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, where it is part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase 2019, Knot is an innovative debut show pushing the boundaries of circus and theatre to combine highly technical circus skills with touching personal stories.
In her five star review of Knot for The Herald, Mary Brennan comments, the interlocking elements of spoken text, thrillingly inventive circus skills and contemporary dance moves – devised in collaboration with Ben Duke of Lost Dog Dance Company – take the linking narrative in brutally honest and highly personal directions.
Adrian Berry, Artistic Director of Jacksons Lane, who have produced Knot and worked on its development comments, Jacksons Lane is thrilled that Nikki & JD have won a prestigious Herald Angel; this is such a major achievement for a show that started from such a small idea two years ago. We are proud and delighted for the artists and for the British circus sector.
Since their inception in 1996, The Herald Angel Awards have been an integral part of the Edinburgh Festival scene, celebrating and rewarding the diverse range of talent from the various festivals including the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Jazz & Blues Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Knot is a finely crafted journey through the struggles of commitment, exploring the absurdity, mundanity and joy of a very modern affair. It tells the story of two acrobats, one gay and one straight, linked together in an unconventional relationship. Knot is a funny and moving piece that combines astonishing partner acrobatics, dance and storytelling to examine Nikki and JD’s own relationship, its durability and intensity. Using delicate sensitivity and exceptional circus skills, Knot is an exploration of LGBTQIA+ identity and the important bonds of companionship.
Created in collaboration with award-winning choreographer Ben Duke of Lost Dog Dance Company, Knot is supported by Jacksons Lane, Déda, Jerwood Choreographic Research Project II, the National Centre for Circus Arts, Arts Council England and Warwick Arts Centre.
