Spektakel Landshut, Germany

Gromwy and Richard underneath their massive poster

On the final night of the Spektakel Landshut festival, indeed the early hours of the next morning, my friends Richard Garaghty and Gromwy Thom asked me to take a picture of them with their poster behind them. "But there are posters of you all over town!" I exclaimed. "Yes, but apparently this one is really big!" One of them replied. Due to this posters' location which was facing away from the city centre, none of us had seen it, until this moment. "Whoa, that is massive!" We pretty much all three gasped in unison. I've known Richard and Gromwy for at least 28 years, as Richard started in Covent Garden around 1997 and Gromwy (who was very young then) started in CG about a year later. Richard used to live just up the road from me in Tooting Bec when I lived in Merton (or South Wimbledon, if you want to be posh), and I would often pop round for a cup of tea! Both of them have had other juggling partners, but now they have been working together for about 15 years. They have a great chemistry together and are a joy to watch. Their "Find the lady" routine is hysterical, and they certainly deserve the kudos they are now enjoying. In actual fact, the last time I saw either of these two was 8 years ago in London, so we had a lot of catching up to do.

I arrived home from Tunbridge on Sunday in the early evening and was directed over the phone on my drive back to come straight to our neighbours, Mike and Cathy, as they were having a little dinner party. Cathy is the hostess of our weekly "Stammtisch" (regular table) where we all practice our German. Stephanie and another lady are fluent speakers (Stephanie's mum was German), but the rest of us have to try a bit harder. Sadly, I am the only male in the group and in the summer months I don't get to go often as I am touring. It's great fun and a great way to learn. When I arrive, everyone is pleased to see me, as I have hardly been home since mid-June. Some of them are a little surprised when I tell them I will be leaving again on Tuesday and I won't be back for another three weeks as I have to go to both Landshut in Germany and then Tulsa, Oklahoma. I did manage to fit a guitar lesson in on the Monday, which was great.

As it is a twenty plus hour drive from my house to Tulsa (and I really did need to take the car as I had a lot of stuff), I decide to park the car at JFK airport, where I had a direct flight to Munich and back. Spektakel Landshut had arranged a taxi for me from there to the festival hotel. And in what seemed like no time at all I arrived in the beautiful city of Landshut in the province of Bavaria. It's pretty early in the morning when I arrive, and I am one of the first here, because I am also performing in the Gala show, which will be on Thursday evening. So I take the opportunity to crash out for a bit. I'm jet-lagged, something that never affected me as a younger man, but for some reason now it does! So everything is a bit weird for a while, I walk a bit round the town, buy some good cheese (American cheese is awful) and a bit of decent bread (American bread is even worse than its cheese) and head back to the hotel and my room. I'm going to rant here a little. American consumers are being ripped off in a massive way, a loaf of bread baked in store costs on average at least $6. In Europe, you would pay $2 maximum for the same thing (even in Switzerland). Also, a head of broccoli will cost at least $3 in the USA (non - organic) whereas in Europe you would spend a maximum of $1 for the same thing. Furthermore, American food is incredibly bland! The first thing I always do when I arrive in Europe from a period in the USA is to eat some cheese and have a bit of decent bread. If you want to eat well in the USA, you either have to pay through the nose at Wholefoods Supermarket, which is ridiculously expensive, or grow your own. I am trying to do the latter.

The wine in my mini bar is 3 euros and 50 cents, and there are two glasses in a bottle. I wake up on Thursday morning feeling a bit better. And so to frühstück (breakfast). I wander down the stairs to the restaurant, this is a nice 4 star hotel (but what that really means is a mystery). Lovely, there is a substantial buffet and plenty of staff (dressed in lovely uniforms) to fetch anything else you could possibly want from the kitchen. The buffet is more than good enough for me, but first a decent cup of coffee. I am a coffee snob, it's my mother's fault, she brought me up on freshly ground beans from an early age (thanks Mum) and the coffee here is good, I have a cup and people watch, none of the other performers have appeared yet, but the other guests are fairly interesting, one man is wearing Lederhosen, I try not to stare, but I am a bit of a starer, so I just do. The buffet has some fresh scrambled egg which is still a bit runny (as it should be), tomatoes, basil, at least 6 types of cheeses, one of which is a soft blue which I am immediately taken by, lots of cold cut meats, salmon, potatoes in various guises, boiled eggs, granola, muesli, yoghurt, fruits and lots of different types of breads, basically the usual four-star hotel European breakfast, lovely. I try not to pig out, but it's difficult not too, I feel like a camel arriving at the oasis after months in the desert! Fortunately Ruben arrives. It's been a while, we embrace and are all smiles. I like Reuben, he is funny, kind, talented and easy to get along with. Reuben dot, dot, dot as he is known by is the world's only Chinese Pole who performs Chinese Pole, and he's very good at it, he also has the cutest tattoo ever, which is a Panda bear. He is fetching coffee for his lovely wife Lisa Lottie (Hula-Hoop mega star) and himself to drink in their room before they come downstairs, but somehow manages to find a good fifteen minutes for us to chat, it's been a while, we agree the last time we saw each other was at the Edmonton fringe festival back in 2019.

Rueben Dot Dot Dot

Lisa Lottie

As we are chatting Jon Hicks turns up "Hello you two" he says in his usual unassuming way. Jon arrived on the scene in Covent Garden just after I left for Key West, he is even older than me. I like Jon, and to be fair, it's difficult not too. Jon is a speed painter and also an eccentric artiste, he is always trying new stuff, and I am really enjoying watching his double act Tony and Ray and their eccentric dancing. He is a rare talent, and you should definitely check out his website here https://www.thejonhicks.com/

Reuben disappears and Jon and I catch up. We were both at Glastonbury this year so that's only a couple of months ago (but it feels like much longer). Jon and I move into the lobby area and Richard appears, "Hello, hello, hello" we hug, it's been a long time. "Where's young Gromwy"? I ask. "Right here" he says from behind me. We all laugh.

Richard and I decide to head into town as he has to buy some supplies for the show and I just fancy a walk. It's a gorgeous medieval city with an interesting, if a little gruesome, past. On top of which, it's a lovely day. This is Richard and Gromwy's fourth time here. Martin, who is the festival organizer, is a fan of British humour. There are plenty of outdoor cafés and people seem prosperous, which is probably due to the large BMW factory located here, in fact BMW are the sponsors for tonight's Gala show.

We have a pleasant stroll through the town and find everything we need. My German has improved and people are actually conversing with me in their language and not immediately resorting to English, that makes me happy.

On returning to the hotel, we meet up with Cathal, who is a large and friendly Irishman, I recognize him, but I cannot remember where from. So I ask. "I was one of the classical musicians from Covent Garden, I started in 1997"! He tells me. "Of course you were"! I reply, and now it all makes sense. His band "Graffiti Classics" a quartet will also be performing in tonight's gala show.

In no time at all, it's time for us all to go to the theatre for tech rehearsal, and we all pile into pre-ordered taxis.

Richard and Gromwy are compèring the show and the rest of us have 15 minutes each, as I am primarily performing my rope walking routine, I have to just lay the rope on the stage and pretend, but I also get a microphone check, and I am sure the lights are good. This is a professional theatre and the technicians know their stuff. I'm after Lisa and before Jon.

Imre arrives with his lovely new girlfriend. Imre is a Hungarian performer who has been working in Covent Garden for at least 7 years now. He is primarily a follow clown, but has some serious acrobatic skills, and he has a pretty decent show (He does like to talk though!), he is not in tonight's show but has come to lend us moral support and help drink the complimentary beer! Imre and I have had a few adventures in the short time I have known him, and on one memorable occasion we were thrown out of London's Royal Festival Hall, but that is another story!

Martin, is a little nervous, this is his big night for the sponsorship, and he is hoping that he has made the right choice of performers.

In no time at all it is time for the show to begin. It's a full house. Martin makes a little speech and then Richard and Gromwy take the stage, although we are in Germany the majority of the speaking acts (me included) are performing in English and the audience are fine with that and are immediately laughing. Especially when the local vicar is pulled up onstage, he actually turns out to be more of a Bishop, which makes it funnier still.

I pace up and down backstage and confess to Jon that I am nervous, he tells me not be silly, but I still am a little. For some reason the minutes immediately before going on stage always feels like hours to me. Lisa does her stuff to rapturous applause, the boys go back onstage, and it's my turn to shine.

The first part of my shortened act will be cigar boxes and I pick a nice looking woman to assist me, she's great and plays her part very well. I throw the boxes out to the crowd and pull up the ten volunteers for the rope trick, again they are all up to the task and I finally juggle the knives whilst balancing on the rope to great applause, phew! I thank them, bow and get off.

There is beer in the dressing room and I have one, we have an interval and a second half to go before we all take a group bow. Cathal is worried we are going to run out of beer, his group are last but one.

Every act is a hit, Martin is happy. We take our final group bow and then rush to the doors to collect some extra money in buckets, this is after all a busking festival and most of these people got in on a free ticket. I'm stood next to Lisa and I let her do most of the collecting, which works out well. The patrons are all very complimentary and my small man volunteer is very happy that I chose him and tells me so (I always try and have a large man and a small man on either side of the rope for contrast).

It turns out we make a record hat (collection) and we all drive back to the hotel exhilarated. We have a bit of a party at the hotel!

Fortunately for all concerned the festival proper doesn't start till late afternoon, so most of us have recovered from last nights fun. However, it is also the hottest day of the year here in Bavaria.

The other acts have all arrived by now and I know a good few of them. Jack Wise, another Irishman, is here with his lovely wife and their daughter, I was with Jack at "Magic and Shenanigans" back in May in Canada, he is a magician, a ventriloquist and a sword-sallower, and he's very good at all three and he always charms his audience with his Irish brogue. Victor Rubilar who I have known since I think 2008 is here too, I have watched him and his act mature from an arrogant young teenage football juggler to an act that now has comic timing and some interesting dance moves, the last time I saw him was in Dubai sometime before Covid hit.

My first show is at 6.30 pm and fortunately the buildings are now casting a long shadow over the wide cobblestone street. I'm following Imre, who is performing a new show, and is a little nervous about it, his character is Boris Becker's odd cousin, apparently Imre looks a bit like Boris Becker.

The first show of a festival like this, often feels like a test and this one was no exception, it went well, but I felt I could do better and I certainly needed to slow down. Show two was at 8.30 pm in a bit of a smaller spot with a restaurant terrace making up one of the side edges. I slowed down and it was a much better experience, lots of laughs, but one line that is normally a solid laugh just didn't hit home. I texted Jan, Stephanie's German cousin and told him about it. Jan immediately responded "We don't really have tokenism in Germany"! he informed me. "Well I guess I will just have to take that bit out then"! I replied. I was pretty tired by the time I got back to the hotel and after a quick drink with Cathol I went to bed.

I woke up the next morning with a bit of a runny nose and I was feeling kinda hot, oh dear. I haven't the time to be sick, I lied to myself, I'm just still a bit jet-lagged. I go down to breakfast and talk to Ian Deadly, who turns out to be from Marlborough, Wiltshire, which is just down the road from where I grew up in Newbury, Berkshire. He's a good deal younger than I am, but he is still in his mid forties, there just aren't the young performers out there anymore, I blame the internet and particularly Instagram and Tik-Tok. We are in danger of losing my beloved art-form. As the name suggests Ian's show has a lot of dangerous looking props and contains loads of fire, people certainly enjoy watching him. Pretty soon Jon has come and joined us and the others all trickle down, everyone is quite excited for Saturday's crowds, which are always the biggest. My nose is really bothering me! Also it's another scorcher of a day. I decide to visit the pharmacy and pick up some pills which will at least stop my nose running quite so much.

My first show of the day is at 2.30 pm in the full sun, it's too hot for the Germans and they watch from the shade, whilst I do my best in the glaring sunlight, it is what it is. With street performing there are so many different variables that you can never guarantee what a show is going to be like until it actually happens. The crowd are appreciative of my efforts and the hat and response really is as good as could have been expected, if not even slightly better. Show two fortunately is in the shade and is massive, the crowd are pretty much waiting for me and I actually have to move some of the people back before I even begin. This was one of those shows where everything goes just right, I have a full circle around me and it grows and grows as I continue. I take my time with my speech making sure I am understood (although most Germans have a good grasp of English, they don't always understand the nuances of the language), I talk to the children volunteers in German and they all enjoy the bell ringing routine. The applause and cheering for the rope walking finale is huge and I collect a very substantial hat. A man of my age comes up to me and tells me he used to be a street performer but gave up 20 years ago and seeing me perform has made him want to perform again, I'm touched by this. I return to the green room in a triumphant mood. My last show is also a good one, but as it's getting later in the evening the crowd is not quite so big. I'm still feeling under the weather. After dropping my stuff back at the hotel, I join the other performers dancing the night away to the band Faela, who are an intersting mix of Flamenco and Rock.

Sunday morning arrives far too quickly, I'm still not feeling great but frühstück helps, fortunately I only have two shows today and the first isn't till 3 pm, I pop back to bed for a bit! Feeling much better, I head into town at about 2 pm. I spend a little time talking with Jyoti Supernatural, who I first met at the Glastonbury festival in 2024, his act is unique. He sits upon the ground whilst balancing several crystal balls on his head and then performs some astonishing looking magic, it's wonderful to see such orginality.

My first show of the day is joyful and people are very complimentory, I'm happy! I finish my second show and it is time for the Grand finale of the festival and the award for the favourite performer. We are all called up onto a small stage by the city gates and presented with a magnum of beer each by the mayor. Lisa wins favourite performer and she deserved it (Street performance is a heavily dominated male occupation and she is one of only two solo female acts here), not only that but I am touched to see at least 5 young girls (all under 8 years old) looking up to her in awe.

And then it's time for our farewell party! Fortunately for me, my flight isn't till midday on Monday and it's less than an hour to the airport! After I take the picture of the boys we are called to yet another bar where we have a very happy (and a litttle rauccous) singsong, mostly led by Imre and Cathul. Then it's fond farewells as we head back to the hotel!

Here is a link to the video highlights of the festival for you to enjoy - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D3KfsBdXNYs&pp=ygUXc3Bla3Rha2VsIGxhbmRzaHV0IDIwMjU%3D

I slept for the entire flight!