Gandini Juggling's HEKA Will Begin Spring Tour in May

Gandini Juggling's magic-inspired Heka had its UK premiere in January, playing to sold-out audiences. On 10 May, it will set off on a short UK tour to Oxford, Salford, Norwich and Nottingham.

Heka sees director and Sean Gandini revisiting his childhood fascination with magic which began when he was growing up in Havana, Cuba. Using magic as a source of creativity and a choreographic language, he deconstructs its much-loved tropes and archetypes to create new and unexpected juggling tricks – with Gandini presiding over proceedings as well as participating. 

Infused with a captivating blend of humour and philosophy, Heka draws inspiration from 20th-century magic tricks, mind games and sleights of hand. Embracing elements of contemporary choreography, it reimagines magic using repetition, counterpoint and misdirection and explores the dynamics of group magic, probing the possibilities of multiple hands and gestures and delving into the nuances of delay and anticipation. The result is a mesmerising choreography of juggling where everything is definitely not as it seems…

The female jugglers emerge as the true protagonists of Heka, channelling the Egyptian goddess after whom the show is named, and challenging the gender stereotypes that have long persisted in the field of magic.
Magicians Yann Frisch from France and Kalle Nio from Finland worked as magic consultants on the show.

The performers are Kate Boschetti, Sean Gandini, Tedros Girmaye, Doreen Grossman, Sakari Männistö, Yu-Hsien Wu and Kati Ylä-Hokkala.

Tour Dates

Saturday 10 May
OXFORD Playhouse
11-12 Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LW
Box office: 01865 305305 / https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/

Sunday 11 May
The Lowry, SALFORD
Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
Box office:  0343 208 6000 / https://thelowry.com/

Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 May
NORWICH Playhouse, part of Norfolk & Norwich Festival
42-58 St Georges St, Norwich NR3 1AB
Box office: 01603 598598 / https://norwichtheatre.org/

Wednesday 3 June
Lakeside Arts, NOTTINGHAM
University Park, Lakeside Arts, Nottingham NG7 2RD
Box office:  0115 846 7777 / https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/externalrelations/lakeside-arts.aspx