Artwork Directory
The Show Globe
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Description
The Show Globe creates beautifully detailed, illuminated roaming worlds that bring live performance, interaction and human connection into Light Nights and illuminated events.
Moving amongst audiences rather than remaining in a fixed location, each Show Globe combines light, physical theatre, music, and interactive, unique specially created effects at the push of a button, all within a complete theatrical world. Audiences can encounter the worlds at close quarters, touching them and being engaged by the character performance within, they can follow the Globes as they glide through an event, and become part of the experience through direct interaction.
Each Globe has its own character, visual world and specific special effects. An audience-operated button triggers changes within the illuminated environments and other specially created effects, while the performers use physical theatre, audience interaction, puppetry and imagination to bring each world to life. They are particularly suited to family audiences, loved by children as well as adults.
The work is gentle, accessible and highly visual, creating moments of curiosity, wonder and connection for audiences of all ages. For Light Nights in particular, The Show Globe offers a different dimension alongside light art and installations: **a living, moving illuminated artwork in which the audience encounter is at the heart of the experience.**
There are four individual Show Globe productions:
Mystic Mirror Globe: A mesmerising world of mirrors, reflections and light, where The Mystic draws individual audience members into intriguing encounters and interactive illuminated effects at their press of the big red button.
Enchanted Flower Globe: A beautiful oversized garden world inhabited by Floris, where giant flowers, butterflies and creatures come to life through puppetry, interaction and playful moments of discovery.
Sea Sphere: An enchanting underwater world where a Mermaid glides amongst audiences, inviting them into her realm and releasing spectacular clouds of bubbles out into the crowd.
Living Snow Globe: A magical roaming winter world where the Snow Queen travels amongst audiences and the push of a button transforms the scene with a swirling snow blizzard.
Each can be programmed individually, or multiple Globes up to 4 can perform together to create a larger-scale roaming spectacle or illuminated procession. There is the option of collaborating with video mapping on the surrounding buildings to tie in with the different interior worlds to expand the scale and impact.
The Show Globes are fully mobile, weatherproof and self-contained, requiring no external power while performing. The company provides its own custom-built backstage and heated dressing facilities, making the work straightforward to programme into outdoor events.
Performances can be 3 × 30 minutes or 2 × 45 minutes, with extended performance and parade options available.
Full details and films of each production can be found on The Show Globe website.
Artist
When injury brought her acrobatic career to an end, Nikki began exploring how she could create a new form of outdoor performance: one that could travel directly to its audience, work in different environments and weather conditions, and retain the intimacy and connection of close-up live performance. From this came the idea for a weatherproof, roaming “micro-theatre” – The Show Globe.
Nikki and Tim Kennett developed the concept together, collaborating with a team of specialist makers to create the structure (four fish designs), electronics, scenic worlds and costumes. The first Show Globe began touring in 2016, with the theatrical work developed with direction from Angela de Castro and lighting elements developed with Jason Mercer.
The original concept has since grown into four distinct Show Globe productions and a multi-team touring company, allowing individual works or multiple Globes to be presented simultaneously.
With its roots in UK outdoor arts, The Show Globe is now an established international touring company, spending much of each year on the road and performing at festivals, Light Nights, cultural events and large-scale celebrations across the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
