Performing arts group Corvus Angelicus return with walk through St Pauls
Posted on: 10 Mar 2021Anya Agulova documents the renowned circus group's long-awaited return to the streets of Bristol.
Living circus ensemble Corvus Angelicus made a comeback on Saturday night, touring the streets of St Pauls in fully-lit angel costumes and six-foot stilts, accompanied by a musical arrangement created specifically for the occasion by composer John Maybey and vocalist Karen Turner.
Formed two years ago by performer Lyn Routledge, Corvus Angelicus was originally inspired by the stages of grief and the acceptance of hope, love and healing in the later stages of mourning.
While the group are, in normal circumstances, available for private functions, they've started hosting their own nighttime walks and performances during the coronavirus crisis as a response to their loss of bookings.
Following the enormous success of their first walks in January and February, the council pulled the plugs on Corvus' public shows due to concerns regarding the gathering of crowds and the potential for breaches of lockdown rules.
Thankfully, though, permission was granted for the group to return to the streets this month, with local residents officially encouraged to stay at home and enjoy the spectacle from within their homes.
"It's important to have an interaction with people," Lyn said after the walk on Sunday night. "What people are really responding to when they view the angels is how we actually look at them directly and send them our love.
"Currently the human-to-human connection is particularly special and I hope that after the pandemic, when life returns to normal, it's this human-to-human connection that remains."
Lyn, who has a background in aerial and performing arts spanning more than 20 years, was forced to stop training when the pandemic closed venues, and had no choice but to look elsewhere for work.
When her weekly classes and bookings were cancelled - including appearances in the UAE, Turkey and Egypt as well as across the UK - she says she had to resist the urge to look for delivery jobs as a response to her near-total loss of income.
"I had to put the welfare of my housemates first. It's the most unnatural thing to not be proactive in finding work. The thought that the best thing you can do is nothing is a really challenging concept to get your head around, but it was the right thing to do by them in keeping them safe."
Like many self-employed people in the arts industry, Lyn has not only lost usual sources of income but is also unable to do the job that brings her immense joy.
"I, and many other aerialists, feel that we are not aerialists anymore," she explains. "This year will be either the year I start being an aerialist, or the year I stop for good."
Despite the setbacks, there are reasons for the Corvus Angelicus team to be optimistic in 2021.
The UK is set to start opening up again as we approach the summer, and after receiving support for their recent programme of walks from Arts Council England, the group are hopeful of receiving more funding for future projects.
After their return on the weekend, I ask Lyn if we can expect any more angel walks in the coming weeks:
"I will be developing the concept further," she says. "It's about paying it forward and having your spirits lifted by drops of positivity when you're down."
For more information on Corvus Angelicus, or to follow updates from the group, head to their website.
This article and the photos within it were provided to 365Bristol by photographer Anya Agulova. Find Anya on Instagram.
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Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.
