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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus

English National Opera, London Coliseum
33-35 St. Martin's Lane, London WC2N 4ES [map], Saturday 3rd March 2012

To celebrate what would have been John Cage's 100th birthday, the ENO opera company produced the American composer's 'omnium gatherum' piece, billed as a 'promenade experience of spectacular and extraordinary performances.'

The free event took place throughout the London Coliseum, and proved to be a really exciting, unusual experience. We loved it!


Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Visitors were encouraged to take a circular walk through the building and interact with the Musicircus, which was made up of a wide range of musicians and actors all performing different works simultaneously to create a 'unique, exciting and seemingly anarchic sound.'

Although that sounds wildly random, the events were actually precisely controlled, with each act's timing being dictated by a stopwatch.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

All sorts of intriguing musical happenings took place, often interspersed with long periods of silence, with the musicians playing set pieces at preconfigured times.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

The electronic guys.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Fella playing a saw.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

I loved the way that odd musical events sparked off in unusual places, which would suddenly burst into life and stop just as unexpectedly.

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

There was a musical piece going on inside the ladies loos, with singing coming from a cubicle.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Visitors were encouraged to walk around the building to visit and revisit the acts and performances.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Looking inside the main theatre hall.

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Looking down into the action below.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

A very small keyboard.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Odd performance pieces took place all around the building.

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Jean Paul Jones - from rock superstars Led Zeppelin - with a striking triple necked guitar.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

I loved the way you were never sure who was a performer and who wasn't - here the bar staff suddenly started playing a bell ensemble.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

An actor reads aloud.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

This fella gave a lecture about mushrooms. And why not.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

The event was recorded by the BBC.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

A harpist plays John Cage.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Solo violinist, perched up high.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

An opera singer performs from behind the bar.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

This guy made all sorts of delightful noises.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

The clapping twins.

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

I loved this dinner table tableaux. Each half of the table would sing a different song or perform a different action, depending on the outcome of dice being thrown.

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Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012


Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

Chaos and fun at John Cage's Musicircus at ENO English National Opera, Charing Cross London, 3rd March 2012

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