Heka – Gandini Juggling / The Place, London

A clever and eye-catching multidisciplinary performance, Heka is at the rich intersection between juggling and magic.

Juggling, Magic and Ancient Egypt

And just like that, MimeLondon comes to a close for another year. Or does for me, at least: there are a few final shows on tonight and tomorrow (including Heka). Heka is the third show I’ve seen this year, and you can see my other reviews here and here. I’ve once again been inspired, challenged and delighted by one of my favourite festivals on the London calendar.

And Heka, by Gandini Juggling, is no exception. It’s the first new show in a couple of years by this long-standing and prolific company. Founded in 1991 by Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala, Gandini Juggling “aim to reposition juggling as a versatile, engaging and malleable art form for our times“. They have been been frequent collaborators with or have drawn inspiration from creatives across different art forms, including dance, fine art and opera. In practice this means a deep multidisciplinary vein running through their work. Once more Heka is no exception, drawing both on 20th century magic, and on Ancient Egyptian mythology.

In Ancient Egypt, heka started as a concept: a supernatural power possessed by the gods. Over time, this concept of heka became a deity in its own right. According to the company and press materials Heka was a goddess, allowing the show’s female jugglers to challenge the gender stereotypes that were (and arguably still are) rife in magic circles. My own research, albeit brief, suggested Heka was male. I would love to learn more about this if any knowledgeable folks fancy pointing me to some links in the comments.

Gandini Juggling’s Heka

Luckily this specific detail behind the title isn’t essential to enjoying a clever and vibrant show. Heka consists of a number of tableaux combining juggling and magic or sleight of hand. Balls appear and disappear, rings change colour, items are pulled from mouths or pockets or laid like eggs. There’s a certain magic already to watching complex choreographed juggling routines, balls soaring high and changing hands. If that wasn’t enough, Heka also includes lessons on the history and philosophy of language, delivered in multiple languages.

Gandini Juggling set out their stall, so to speak, within the first two scenes. The production opens with a routine combining physical comedy, illusion and synchronised juggling. Sean Gandini himself then comes out to explain but also undermine what we’ve seen, by talking about known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. For the rest of the performance we’re slightly unsettled. Did we figure out that trick by being clever and observant, or was it by design?

The format of interspersing routines with a conversation with the audience is not just practical and interesting. It also mirrors the circus (or magic shows). Gandini here is the ringmaster, strolling out in eye-catching suits to set the scene, introduce the performers and ensure we’re all entertained. The performers, too (Kati Ylä-Hokkala, Kate Boschetti, Tedros Girmaye, Doreen Grossman, Jose Triguero, Yu-Hsien Wu), live up to their end of the bargain. The juggling, whether individual or synchronised, was very impressive. The sleight of hand elicited at least one audience gasp. And the performers also evoke the atmosphere of a circus or a magic show, a quintessential blend of humour and expertise. Coming back to that question of gender stereotypes and the magical feminine, Ylä-Hokkala is the confident lead to Gandini’s ringmaster, keeping the company on task with a nod and a smile. Many of the tableaux also centre female performers.

I once more thought back to MimeLondon’s aim to curate a programme of visual and physical theatre. Although the audience conversation is an illuminating and engaging part of Heka, the show is also a great example of essentially wordless, unexpected, multidisciplinary storytelling. Giving a platform to companies such as Gandini Juggling and inviting audiences to experience something new is exactly why I love this festival. If you don’t have the opportunity to see Heka on this run, I suggest you look out for future performances by Gandini Juggling. I came away from The Place imbued with a little of their magic and flair.

Salterton Arts Review’s rating: 4/5

Heka on at The Place until 1 February 2025. More info here, and Gandini Juggling tour information here.