“You can’t keep running, because you’ll be running forever!” – Blaze Tarsha’s Journey from Circus to Street Theatre

That’s what they used to say to my mum, but I never saw it as running, to me she was just curious, eager to travel and explore what the world had to offer. Whether it was running from Birmingham to Bath, or running away with the circus, she followed her intuition.

I like to think that travelling is deeply rooted in our family, sometimes by choice, sometimes not. From my West African ancestors and West Indian heritage.

To my great-grandmother, who came by plane from Jamaica at the invitation of Queen Lizzy. In search of better opportunities. In search to build a legacy.

My mother Fatina’s vibrant energy shaped an exciting childhood filled with overseas adventures, from traveling to South Africa to dance on stage at a music festival to road trips across Europe. She created a local community group in Bath, organizing street parties, attending festivals and free parties whilst running a Caribbean food shop. Food, travel and community weren’t just experiences, they were the signature elements of my upbringing.

After closing her Caribbean food shop, Fatina set off on her next adventure, cooking for the circus. What was meant to be a temporary job turned into something permanent. My first real experience of this new life came when I was just 9, at the Cardiff Unicycle Convention. While Fatina was busy in the kitchen that week, I taught myself to ride a unicycle and even entered the unicycle race. I didn’t win, but that moment marked the beginning of my relationship with the circus.

The year 2005 marked a turning point for the British circus. NoFit State Circus’s “Immortal”, directed by Firenza Gudi, was not only visually inspiring; it was transformative. What stood out most to me wasn’t just the show itself, but the collective spirit behind it. From cooks and drivers to volunteers and performers, everyone helped steer the ship. There was a deep sense of unity and mutual reliance that flowed from backstage to centre stage. What resonated with me most was the feeling of an unapologetic rebellious family. 

It was the people from this tour who inspired me most and led me to study at Circomedia in Bristol. After graduating, Fatina passed down the torch. In 2013, I joined NoFit State’s international tour of Bianco, stepping into the world she and many others had helped shape.

After many successful tours and years on the road, I was beginning to think about running away from the circus, but Fatina had other plans. She was determined to start her own family circus and, like me, felt there was still a lack of diversity within the Circus and Street Theatre scene. This then led to our first commission with Articulture Wales, and our first street show in 2019 “Do What Yah Mama Told Yah!”

“Do What Yah Mama Told Yah” was an unexpected beginning to my journey as an Artistic Director. In 2023, we followed it up with our second show, “Fussy Foodies: The Battle of the Pans.” Both productions are infused with the vibrant identity of our heritage, blending culture, circus, food and travel, creating performances that are sensory, spontaneous, and deeply rooted in lived experience. Being a mother and daughter duo we often share a unique and honest relationship which is also projected into our performances. 

Whilst touring we’ve faced some challenging moments, from audience members turning up in blackface to being told to “go back to where you come from.” But those experiences have only encouraged us to continue creating bold, authentic work that celebrates who we are, and most of the time we have inspired and built wonderful friendships with the local community, which is our main purpose. 

Going solo!

Now, as part of the Without Walls Blueprint R&D programme 2025, I look forward to my next chapter.

“Balance.”

This Blueprint R&D Project is inspired by the traditions of head carrying, from today’s West African market, to London in 1942, when Covent Garden street traders were head carrying basket races.

Balance is an immersive walk about performance, based on the traditions of head carrying. This universal tradition is connected to all cultures. Not only does it unify us, but it ignites the individual’s self-strength, resilience, and pride. It’s a mix of circus, dance, and theatre. 

I was first inspired by an image of an African woman balancing a large fruit bowl on her head, and it came apparent that the art of head carrying was not specific to African/Caribbean and South Asian culture; but it’s a historic tradition across many cultures across the globe. We tend to associate this means of transport with what they say are underdeveloped countries, and forget that head carrying was prevalent in London’s 1930’s markets where many would balance baskets of produce on their heads to sell and transport their trade. 

Some see head balancing as a poor persons form of transport but when we look closer its significantly profound. It represents independence, strength, and resilience. Beneficial for the environment and our spinal alignment, this is something that is compromised daily in the West as we spend hours at a desk or in traffic. There is grace in head carrying and a natural elegance. It’s a skill practiced daily by many who don’t see the magic that they carry. 

“The ordinary is sometimes the extraordinary.”

With the development of technology and social media, we’re often distracted by the glitz and glamour of celebrities and mainstream ideals. We see people praised more for aesthetics than for their humanity, and in the process, we forget that our real heroes are everyday people who perform acts of kindness. Let’s take a moment to celebrate our daily wins, we’re all champions in our own right!

Balance is a physical affirmation — a manifestation of inner strength and unity.

Balance begins as a walkabout, a moving installation of vibrant characters who engage with the public with playful charm navigating the space whilst balancing large objects on their heads. They show off tricks, play with risk and perform in the novelty of grace under pressure. What starts off as a solo becomes a public invitation for the audience to join in for a joyful but unpredictable basket balancing race. 

During the R&D we’ll explore individual tasks but mainly focus on how we can challenge the public in a friendly, fun and safe environment. 

Success from this project would be that audience leaves feeling uplifted and inspired by their own inner strength and resilience. 

As we currently see division continuing to grow across the UK and worldwide, I hope we can come together recognize the true global illness of Capitalism.

Let’s remember that our shared unity is more powerful than the systems designed to separate us.