REVIEW/INTERVIEW: PRICE OF TWO PINTS with LOGY ON FIRE at Opticum, as part of Fringe World

Shane | 16 February 2018 | Reply

REVIEW/INTERVIEW: PRICE OF TWO PINTS with LOGY ON FIRE at Opticum, as part of Fringe World
By Brian Dunne

The Opticum is a fabulous prefabricated theatre-in-the-round which is spectacularly well suited for a performance of the type performed by Logy on Fire; a solo circus show, sans elephants and lions, naturally.

Logy On Fire is a self deprecating yet wildly talented close quarters circus showman. In addition to Logy’s indubitable circus skills his constant patter before, during and after each stunt is never less than laugh-out-loud funny and often touches genuine outright hilarity.

100% Rock had a quick word with Logy immediately after his first show at FRINGE WORLD 2018.

100% Rock: Who is Logy On Fire?

Logy on Fire: well, that’s me, Logy Logan. I’m from Belfast, Northern Ireland. I teach circus and I work with kids with special needs, mostly, and kids at risk.

100% Rock: Sweet! And you do that in different locations where you go?

Logy On Fire: Yeah. When I’m travelling around I like to work with as many different groups as I can. And then, when I’m at home in Belfast, during the winter months, there’s two circus skills schools there that I work with a lot.

100% Rock: Why circus?

Logy On Fire: Well, in my original job I was a tattooist, I used to have a studio. And then, when the recession came in all the builders, the brickies and all the trades couldn’t afford big pieces and all the younger ones had this thing about tattoos on their hands and behind their ears, which I refused to do… so I just got less and less work.

100% Rock: You must have had some inkling beforehand…

Logy On Fire: So I played in bands, I was always the frontman in bands. I always quite liked telling jokes and things.

100% Rock: So how’s the Fringe circuit for Logy?

Logy On Fire: In general [on] the Fringe circuit all the Fringes are trying to help as much as they can and sometimes they’re maybe not doing the right thing, but they are always trying. And because so many different performers travel around the Fringes, every time I go to another Fringe I know some of the performers there.

100% Rock: So a lot of it is Fringe acts helping other Fringe acts?

Logy On Fire: Yeah.

100% Rock: What’s the best thing about Fringe festivals?

Logy On Fire: The greatest thing is the amount of varied shows. I’ve seen a few shows that have been amazing that I wouldn’t normally go to. Although I’ve also seen some shows that are terrible, or that I’m not a big fan of, but just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean it’s bad – there might be a market for it.

100% Rock: And if you have an Artist Pass, access all areas, if you don’t like something you can always walk out.

Logy On Fire: Yeah, pretty much. [laughs]

100% Rock: So what’s the worst thing about the Fringes… the travelling and all that?

Logy On Fire: I tend to travel by myself quite a lot. I’m a lone wolf. [laughs]

100% Rock: Okay, speaking of wolves, you’ve just touched on something… about the beard, mate. Two questions; (a) How long is the beard? And (b) How long did it take to grow?

Logy On Fire: I’m not too sure, actually. I’ve never measured it. And, uh, I think this is about four, five years growth.

100% Rock: How important is it to you in the performances you put on?

Logy On Fire: The beard has just slowly become part of my show. It’s now part of my logo, the beard and the skull and the knives. And now with the diablo work, that kind of naturally occurred.

100% Rock: Now we come to the most important question. The box, mate tell us about the box!

Logy On Fire: I try and move everything around in the one trunk. And I like the idea that my show normally starts off enclosed in the box and it’s really neat. Then as the show goes on and on, as more things come out of it, the more mess builds, the more the energy builds, the more atmosphere comes out of the box. And then at the end of the show, when everything is quiet and clams down, everything just goes back in the box and it’s neat again.

100% Rock; It impressed the crap out of me because I thought it was a bit like a TARDIS. There seemed to be more and more things coming out of it, and it’s quite a small box.

Logy On Fire: I think it’s 300mm along, 400 up and 600 wide.

100% Rock: And it encases your entire performance. I mean, I don’t think you can fit in it.

Logy On Fire: Well, not with that attitude, but I think if I put the effort in…

100% Rock: It was the first thing that struck me, it’s an integral part of the performance, you are using it in every way, you’re pulling everything out of it, you are standing on it…

Logy On Fire: It’s in the finale trick and all. It’s nice to have it almost like it’s the set for the show. I mean, if I had curtains and a back drop I don’t think it would have the same effect for the show.

100% Rock: Okay Logy, it has been a pleasure chatting with you, your show is shit hot!

Logy On Fire: Thank you.

Catch Logy On Fire at 8pm and 9pm every night until Saturday, 17th of February at Opticum in The Showmans Fair precinct in the Perth Cultural Centre for FRINGE WORLD 2018. Logy also performs a special kids show with Circus Sonas in the Court Hotel beer garden every Saturday and Sunday at 12pm until the end of the Fringe.