Covent Garden street artists take centre stage for market's180th anniversary

Beginner: Miranda with Covent Garden performers Juma Kuba and Andy Christie
12 April 2012

Covent Garden is hosting a three-day party this weekend for the Market Building's 180th anniversary.

The celebration, which starts tomorrow, will include games in the piazza, a giant birthday cake and a cabaret by the area's street performers.

Adults and children will be able to take part in workshops during the celebrations. Tomorrow there will be juggling between 3pm and 4pm, while there will be an acrobatics session on Saturday at the same time and people can learn to sing at a workshop on Sunday between 2pm and 3pm.

All the workshops are in the East Piazza. The British Film Institute is screening 1957 Lindsay Anderson film Every Day Except Christmas about workers at the old Covent Garden Market.

Organisers are inviting residents and visitors to share their pictures of the area. Winning entries will feature in a photo-wall installation to be built in the piazza. The Apple Market — which houses shops, market stalls and a covered performance space — is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Covent Garden Piazza was the site of a flower, fruit and vegetable market until 1974 when the market relocated to New Covent Garden in Nine Elms. It has since become a tourist attraction, with more than 45 million visitors a year.

I try my hand with the diabolo

A small crowd gathered to watch my masterclass with street performer Andy Christie at the Apple Market in Covent Garden.

There were even cheers as I finally managed to catch the diabolo after countless attempts. This involves using two sticks attached to a string to toss a spool into the air, catch it and then keep it spinning on the string.

But Andy says that tricks are not enough to succeed as a performer. You also need to engage people, make them laugh and play along with the crowd. After my lesson from Andy and acrobat Juma Kuba, they put on an impromptu performance.

Street entertainment is definitely not as easy as it looks.

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