Street art pair’s love story: 25 years of the Fremantle International Street Arts Festival

Starting off in 1999 as a celebration of busking culture, the festival has transformed into a showcase of groundbreaking and unusual street theatre from around the globe.

This year’s FISAF features Australian premiere shows from Japanese Double Dutch group Haribow and Imagicario’s wondrous puppet creations from Canada. Perth audiences will get another chance to witness Living Sculptures: ‘How the Birds Got Their Colours’, an Indigenous-led dreamtime re-imagining that premiered at Sydney Festival and toured Joondalup Festival last year.

FISAF’s after dark offering sees a program chock-full of music, cabaret and comedy, led by ‘Amor’ from France’s Compagnie Bilbobasso–a wild pyrotechnic display in Walyalup Koort.

For Jeromy Nuuk, performing at this year’s festival is a moment of coming full circle. One half of the circus act ‘Hands Some Feet’, Jeromy is an ex-Perth local who honed his craft in Fremantle at Circus WA. Now residing in Finland with his partner Liisa Nuuk, the pair have created a show that defies definition, as well as gravity.

“It’s so exciting to be back, coming full circle so to speak. My first proper performing experience with Circus WA was at FISAF back in 2008 at the Sail and Anchor pitch,” Jeromy said.

“I have so many ties to Fremantle, from early circus training days to hanging out at my Dad’s shop nearby growing up. It’s fantastic to be able to bring this show home.”

The name ‘Hands Some Feet’ refers to the couple’s transformation of their hands and feet into creative tools via Jeromy’s juggling act, and Liisa’s performance as a tightwire artist. The interaction and unexpectedness of the meeting of these two mediums creates a mesmerising performance staged across two pitches during the festival.

Jeromy was encouraged to go international following his early training in Fremantle, and it was there in Belgium at the École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque he met Liisa and they decided to combine their specialities.

“Our show is a little bit autobiographical – our relationship was quite fresh when we developed the concept,” Jeromy said.

“It’s an unconventional love story between two people and the hiccups relationships invariably experience along the way. As well as the juggling and tight wire, it features skipping ropes, adagio, live music and physical theatre with a bit of comedy peppered in.”

Jeromy and Liisa have shown their act throughout the European outdoor circuit and will perform at the Sail & Anchor and Esplanade Park pitches at FISAF.

FISAF has gone from strength to strength since its founding, with internationally renowned street theatre alongside local and interstate acts.

Living Sculptures: ‘How the Birds Got Their Colours’ is a groundbreaking, site-specific piece fusing traditional First Nations dance, storytelling and contemporary circus.  A collaboration between Arc Circus and Luther Cora and his team from Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers, the show tells a significant dreamtime story via a living, breathing work of art set against the backdrop of the trees in Esplanade Park.

An exciting addition to FISAF’s After Dark programming, ‘Amor’ from France’s Compagnie Bilbobasso combines Argentinian Tango with impressive large-scale pyrotechnics. Through dance, fire and explosions, two performers act at the centre of a whimsical, domestic bullfight and tell the tale of a love story gone wrong.

Creative Producer Brendan Coleman said they were thrilled to welcome Amor to this year’s festival lineup.

“Every evening from 7pm audience will find themselves witness to both a love story and an argument, featuring explosions and dances with fire right here in Fremantle,” he said.

“This 25th anniversary year holds a bumper lineup – cabaret duo Otto and Astrid, otherworldly oversized puppets from Imagicario, Japanese rope wizards Haribow (who you may have caught on Britain’s Got talent) and comedy, acrobats and everything else audiences have come to expect from the festival, as well as a packed after dark music lineup.”

FISAF wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of sponsors and local business partners: Tourism WA, The National Hotel, The Old Courthouse, FOMO, Sail & Anchor, Esplanade Hotel, Total Containers, Bendigo Bank and Fremantle Prison.

For more information about FISAF, visit streetartsfestival.com.au