The streets of Galway will be invaded by the colourful and the bizarre with dancing lobsters, pink aliens, architecturally-aware red balls, and giant mechanical dragons, as the Galway International Arts Festival’s Street Spectacle acts take residence this month.
Among the acts to feature at this year’s festival are productions from the UK, France, Slovenia, and the USA.
UK arts company Artizani will introduce the Dance of the Lobsters to Galway on Tuesday July 15 and Wednesday July 16, from 1pm, 3pm, and 10pm both days. Giant lobsters take to the streets, parading through the winding city streets from Eyre Square to Spanish Arch. The company welcomes the public to join the overgrown inflatable crustaceans on the street during this surreal walkabout. A sight to behold, the lobsters cruise about in personalised street carts, greeting people with their curious claws.
One of France’s most exciting circus companies, Les Phiébulistes, returns to Galway to present its latest creation, Hallali. Based on a new acrobatic freestyle technique, Hallali recalls the circus imagery of fantasy, flight, escape, and suspension of time in a beautifully playful and thrilling circus performance, atop a spectacular large scale architectural structure. Hallali takes place at Eyre Square on Wednesday July 16 and Thursday July 17 at 6pm.
Heart-stopping acrobatic stilt-walkers, an electric rock-opera score with live musicians, pyrotechnics, and a terrifying life-sized dragon, Drangonus transports you to the fantastic world of French company Malabar. Dragonus will stomp around Eyre Square on Saturday July 19 and Sunday July 20 from 10pm.
Finally, Slovenian company Ljud present The Invasion. An interplanetary expedition of pink aliens from outer space crash lands in Galway, squatting in a nearby building while they explore the city, its streets, and most importantly its unwitting inhabitants. These brightly-coloured extraterrestrials will commandeer Shop Street and High Street on Friday July 25 and Saturday July 26 at 2pm and 4 pm.
All Street Spectacle acts are free. For more information on what to expect at this year’s festival, visit www.giaf.ie
