„There is a fine line between the genius and the idiot, similar to the conflict within ourselves: the battle between the instinct and the intellect. The idiot is often equated with stupidity and the instinct with the animalistic. On the other side the genius is often regarded as human and equated with intellectuality. What makes us a genius and what makes us an idiot?“

 

Vivid and outrageous in equal measure All Genius All Idiot revels in the absurdities of life, using extreme circus artistry to highlight human behavior at its most animalistic. Svalbard bends the edges of contemporary circus and blends it with theatre, dance and live music to create a truly original piece that you will remember for its surreal quality as well as its awe-inspiring skills and realness. All Genius All Idiot features Chinese pole, aerial rope, hand balance and acrobatics, driven by a hauntingly beautiful and at times bizarre original soundtrack, played live by the performers.

We will be all singing all dancing all flying all crying all rocking all genius all idiots!

Svalbard Company is a circus company that believes in multidisciplinary art and is composed of 4 young international performers (Ben Smith – UK, John Simon Wiborn – Sweden, Tom Brand –Germany, Santiago Ruiz – Spain), currently based in Stockholm. They trained at various preparatory circus schools before graduating from DOCH in 2014. The team has a multitude of high level skills in various circus disciplines such as vertical rope, Chinese pole, handstands, hand to hand, banquine, clowning, acrobatics and movement/dance.

All Genius All Idiot is their debut show as a group. It premiered at Jatka78 in Prague in 2016 followed by sold out performances at London International Mime Festival and a month run at Adelaide Fringe. All genius al idiot was awarded ”best circus and physical theatre” at the Adelaide Fringe weekly awards in 2016. It has been touring around the world since then.

 

„You don’t know if you can trust them, nor where characterisation stops and the performers’ egos take over. Still, I have no regrets being in the company of such defiantly skilful, invigorating provocateurs. Svalbard, whose members met while training in Sweden, could be a cult. Remnants of their show may well be still lurking in my subconscious.”“

 

„A visceral, gender bending display of strength and creativity, All Genius, All Idiot is not like any other circus performance you will see. It is as diverse as the characters themselves – filled with complexity and contradiction.“

 

„The company really explores what it is to recognise the animal inside us and to nurture it into a wild beast. The performance is breath-taking in its freedom, even in the circus world – and so much fun. It is absurd only because they want it to be, and because it suits them; there is nothing false about this. ..... Whatever you expect, it’s weirder and more wonderful. Come with an open mind and you won’t be disappointed.“