We're Excited About Race Horse Company - Crying Out Loud Presents “Petit Mal” at the Southbank Centre

Breaking and circus, and a little evil.

Where: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London

Also touring - see box, right.

When: 4 - 6 June

Tickets: £15-20, call 0844 847 9911 or buy online

Petit Mal - a French phrase, “little evil” when translated to English, by a Finnish cast.

It would be worth pointing out the mixed differences, were it not for the martial arts abilities of Race Horse Company’s gymnasts.

This is the latest in fusing circus with breaking. Rather than focusing on the accuracy of breaking, Petit Mal is about the falls, set to a Mad Max backdrop.

Petit Mal mixes breaking, hip hop movement and martial arts with the sort of stunning circus play seen in 7 doigts’ Traces and Psy. The cast is small at only three gymnasts. Balancing, juggling, and... sabotage and crashing?

Kalle Lehto said: “Normally in circus you have to succeed in everything; if you fall down or crash then it's unexpected. I like crashing... I've been doing break-dancing for a long time and in breaking it is presumed that if you crash you lose. That's why Race Horse Company is interesting for me – because now I can crash and still win.”

Bringing the acrobatics of the street to the stage, Petit Mal is touring, starting at Southampton before its three-day London leg.

Petit Mal cast

Petri Tuominen

Rauli Kosonen

Kalle Lehto

Petit Mal tour dates

The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton

31 May – 2 June

Southbank Centre, London

4 June - 6 June

Lighthouse, Poole

8 June

Eden Court, Inverness

15 - 16 June

We're Excited About Race Horse Company - Crying Out Loud Presents “Petit Mal” at the Southbank Centre

Petit Mal cast

Petit Mal tour dates

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