GADGETS

O extraordinário comediante australiano Joel Salom combina malabarismo, acrobacia e humor, a quem se junta um fantástico duo de músicos multi-instrumentistas, para apresentar um dos mais extravagantes espectáculos da edição deste ano do Festival O Gesto Orelhudo, extensível ao Cine-Teatro de Estarreja com esta apresentação.

Joel Salom é um artista excepcional, um prodígio de técnica e um refinado humorista. Não bastando isso, em Gadgets, Joel recorre à tecnologia para fazer do espectáculo uma experiência multi-sensorial que inclui animações de laser, percussão electrónica com bolas num interface digital e um sem-fim de truques extremamente inventivos.
A acompanhá-lo, dois músicos - Jim Dunlop e Marko Simec – numa partitura constante que divaga pela pop, clássica, metal e jazz. Jim é o perfeito musicómico, tudo na sua música é humor. Marko Simec é compositor, com um transversal percurso ligado ao circo, ao teatro, ao cinema e a inúmeros projectos musicais internacionais.
O membro mais acutilante do grupo é o pequeno e satírico Erik, The Dog, um cão-robot, 'terrier' de lata controlado à distância que é o alter-ego inconveniente de Joel Salom.

Gadgets é um êxito retumbante por toda a Austrália e Nova Zelândia e chega agora a Portugal através do Festival O Gesto Orelhudo, organizado pela d’Orfeu, e ao qual o Cine-Teatro de Estarreja se associa.
 

Gadgets is the creation of renowned funny man and former Circus Oz, juggler, techno-junkie and physical theater performer Joel Salom, ably assisted by Erik the Dog – Erik is Joel’s alter-ego, and somewhat of a fast talking, arse sniffing phenomenon.  
 
In Gadgets, Joel Salom combines his renowned, highly creative rhythmic juggling with technology in a wonderfully inventive way, mixing feats, beats and laser lights in a show that pulsates with energy. Musicians Jim Dunlop and Marko Simec perform a bent mix of pop, classical, death metal and jazz fused with gypsy swing.  

Special guest, Erik the Dog, is a sharp, irreverent, smooth-talking, remote-controlled tin terrier with attitude. His antics bring the audience to their paws. Joel and Erik have performed at festivals on all five continents.

The wittiest member of the crew is Erik the Dog, a remote-controlled tin terrier who rolls around the stage, chats up the front row and extols the joys of sniffing all my friends bums. Predictably, the kids squeal, the parents groan and the critics quietly shut their notebooks.

Gadgets has recently performed at the Hoopla Circus and Acrobatic Festival and Glen Street Theatre (Sydney, Australia) and at the Taranaki Arts Festival (New Zealand).

In 2008 the company embarks on a four month, nation wide tour to twenty seven venues supported by Playing Australia.


‘The irrepressible Joel Salom is an outstanding all-round comic, whether as a skillfully inept acrobat or artfully off-colour juggler popping ping pong balls out of his mouth, flinging clubs impossibly fast, playing electronic percussion with bounced balls and executing an hilarious reversal on the old dropped-pants shtick.  He's also the genius behind the show's other stand-up comic, a blithely satiric little robot dog named Erik .
Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle 2007


In New York with Circus Oz, Joel and Erik performed on 42nd street for six weeks. “The wittiest member of the crew is Erik the Dog, a remote-controlled tin terrier who rolls around the stage, chats up the front row and extols the joys of sniffing all my friends bums. Predictably, the kids squeal, the parents groan and the critics quiently shut their notebooks,”
Time Out. New York 2004.

I have been incredibly impressed by everything I have seen Joel do. I have worked closely with him on a number of projects since I first met him at the National Australian Circus Festival in 1996.

His Skills are fantastic, his material consistantly funny and well contructed and his proffessionalism is absolute. He is a delight to work with - being always considerate, supportive of other artits and patient in times of difficulty. While always well prepared he is also able to be flexible and adapt to changes at the last minute.

As a Compere he has that magic ability to warm up the audience and make them expectant and excited. He always serves the best interests of the other artists in the show - while his work is terrific it never overshadows the other artists and he always works hard to create a warm space for them to enter into.

Although he is a brilliant soloist, Joel works really well with others. In 2004 we worked together on The Oxfam International Youth Parliment opening ceremony (sponsored by Cirque du Soliel). As Compere, Joel arrived just a day before the event and in one very short rehearsal had completely integrted himself in the show -  working with 28 young artist from 5 countries, speaking 4 languages and from very diverse cultural backgrounds.

I would not hesitate to recommend him for any performing work. In my opinion he is the best compere of live events in Australia.

Sue Broadway. Associate Producer, Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival, Melbourne 2006

Joel Salom - is he the world’s best MC? - comes to the festival with his lastest hi-tech wizardry. He samples words from the audience, mixing them with drum and bass, and some amazing sound FX, which then becomes huge music as his 3 glowing balls bounce of 3 senors on each forearm.

His mechanical dog Erik is now so popular he as become a rival, so Joel left him at home this time. However it is not until you see Joel swinging and rotating in a bungee hoist maintaining a 3 club juggle in mid air that you finally realise that he is not only the funniest improviser and cleverest tech-head but possibly our best juggler too!

National Australian Circus Festival 2004

The Company

Joel Salom is an experienced, diverse and charismatic performer who is simultaneously a comic, rapper, juggler, gadget man and MC Extraordinaire. Joel has invented, for Gadgets, the JAMIDI system - a juggling activated musical instrument with a digital interface, triggering samples of beats, bass lines, voice and laser animations.

Jim Dunlop has toured the world with Circus Oz for the last four years showcasing his talent of blending character comedy and music. He has performed with an exciting mix of theatrical bands, mainly in the world of cabaret, and has produced his own big musical acts, including Butt Funky.

Marko Simec is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and performer. Marko has toured with diverse companies from Circus Monoxide and Plasticien Volante (France) to performing with live bands Wicked Beat Sound System and notorious gypsy funk band Waiting for Guinness. He regularly collaborates with film, theatre companies and the advertising sector.