Stage icon Linda Marlowe returns to one of her greatest roles in No Fear!, as the world’s oldest circus artist, aged 100, and re-enacts scenes from her many careers through music, mime, monologue…and trapeze!
Hilarious, provocative and poignant, No Fear! follows a woman’s progress through decades of radical, political change as she breaks boundaries, defies expectations and continually conquers her fears.
On the eve of her 100th birthday the world’s oldest circus artist performs a mimed high wire act. Based entirely on events in her real life Linda Marlowe re-enacts her many careers as daring divorcee, raunchy rock-chick, undercover operator, Amazonian adventurer, manic mother and professional free spirit. It is performed through music, mime, monologue and finally trapeze!
No Fear! is at Hoxton Hall, the Grade II* listed Victorian Music Hall in the heart of the East End, Tuesday 7 September – Saturday 11 September at 7.30pm
Linda Marlowe said: “My two previous shows, ‘Berkoff’s Women’ and ‘Diatribe of Love’, expressed my love of physical theatre and, using the power of words from two great writers, Berkoff and Marquez, allowed me to delve into the minds of the female characters.
My friends had always said to me that, as a woman with a fair few adventures under her belt, I should construct a show from my own experiences. I had always dismissed this as dull, boring, a non-starter. But after constructing a few tapes talking about my experiences as an actress, woman, wife and mother, with stories of divorce, abortion, face-lifts, 60s protests and meeting Marilyn Monroe, it struck me more and more that this could be a very, very exciting challenge. In short, I had something to say.
“‘No Fear!’ starts off as how I might be at 100 doing a high-wire act in the circus. Can you imagine a fantasy quite as evocative of bravery and adventure? This show was very much a personal adventure for me. I learnt to do trapeze in a month. I had always wanted to do mime and magic, so I incorporated that. Stand-up found its way in too – all styles of performance that I had longed to try for years but never had the opportunity. I decided to make that opportunity myself. Rather like life itself, the content can be serious but it is always couched in humour.
“Some people say that solo acting is a lonely profession. I can’t imagine anything much more powerful that being on stage, presenting illusions and images of one’s own life. To retire gracefully or keep on going? I choose the latter.”
