11TH JULY 2019 //

We talk to our Head of Entertainment, Satya about designing and staging our spectacular entertainment for our world-class Christmas parties across the UK.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO THE WORLD OF CIRQUE PERFORMANCE?

When I was 9 I saw an aerial acrobatic display in our local theme park. I wanted to fly like the lady swinging through the air effortlessly in sequins. I wrote to the circus saying I could do a handstand and a forward roll and would they let me run away with them, they never wrote back! Mum attributes this to the starting point with my obsession with circus, which eventually led me to create my own circus company.

YOU’RE DESIGNING THE ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE LEADING CHRISTMAS PARTY ORGANISER IN THE UK, DO YOU FEEL THE PRESSURE TO GET IT RIGHT?

I have now been designing and producing contemporary circus shows that have toured internationally for the last 20 years. I have been very lucky to have the opportunity to have worked in over 50 countries and with some of the worlds top artists, production and events companies. I feel that you are only as good as your last show. So each production is like starting again. I am very passionate about what I do and what is produced.  So I definitely feel the pressure to create new shows that are innovative, exciting and that will mesmerise and enthral the audience!

YOU MUST HAVE A BIG TEAM TO MANAGE ALL THE SHOWS? WHAT ROLES DO YOU TEAM HAVE?

My company manages all elements of the entertainment for Vivid Experience from concept, design to delivery. So we have a team of costume and prop designers, specialist circus riggers, circus choreographers and a dance choreographer. Then of course there is our team of fantastic artists that bring the show concepts to life. There are normally 50-60 people involved in the delivery of the entertainment for the Vivid Christmas parties from our team.

WITH 5 HUGE SHOWS TO PRODUCE WHEN DO YOU START RECRUITING AND REHEARSING TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY FOR OPENING NIGHT?

We normally get the brief for the entertainment that Vivid would like producing in February. We then start designing the shows straight away.  Once we have a storyboard for each show we will cast the artists this is normally done in April and May. The costumes, props and custom rigging are then produced in August and September ready for the rehearsals in October and November. Everything for the Christmas party entertainment is custom produced so it is a lot of work. However this keeps the production of the Christmas shows exciting and we feel it gives them a unique quality that sets them apart from other Christmas parties.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE THEME TO DESIGN A ROUTINE FOR?

That would have to be Wonderland at the NEC last year. This was a magical woodland fantasy fairy show.  I loved creating all of the characters and costumes that really brought the venue to life submersing the guests in a truly enchanted and beautiful world.

YOU LIVE IN CORNWALL NORMALLY, HOW COOL IS IT LIVING THERE?!

I live at the very end of Cornwall. It’s wild and beautiful and I draw a lot of inspiration from here. I often hear the saying that if you think of the UK as a Christmas stocking and shake it, all of the nuts fall to the bottom! This part of the UK is full of interesting artistic people and we are privileged to work with them creating the entertainment for the Vivid Experience Christmas parties.

Thanks Satya, we look forward to seeing what you have been working on for Christmas 2019.