In this show, circus creator Hendrik Van Maele presents a new take on the art of throwing and catching. Together with his co-actors Maria Madeira and Shalom Gramiccioli, he invites the spectator to shift his gaze: from the juggling patterns that form in the air, to the movement of the hands. The trio makes throwing and catching a display in itself, and each individual throw and catch is unique in the process.
As long as they keep moving their hands and the game takes place between the performers, the objects become interchangeable. The juggling ball becomes a tennis ball, becomes a cactus, becomes a paper airplane, everything becomes a potential projectile, thus we all become a circus performer. But the throwing of a daily object is not without its connotations. For example, there is contempt in throwing a shoe, and throwing stones is not without consequences. For what follows after the throwing of the shoe? Perhaps the foot attached to it?
In this game, it is not clear from the outset who or what is being thrown. And what the right choice is - catching your partner or the object - is less obvious than it seems. The line between game and political action blurs. Until the ball is rolled into your camp, who or what are you aiming at?
In Circusmagazine, Hendrik explains his project by its title: "On the one hand, the 'road' determines the scenography: two white ballet floors will form a long, narrow track across the stage from one backdrop to another. On the other hand, 'harbinger' means something like 'forerunner': something that announces the arrival of something else. And that in turn fits perfectly with the concept of the performance: throwing and catching. So you can see a throw as a 'harbinger' for a catch or for a fall, a catch in turn is the harbinger of a new throw, and so on."
