Shows

Contemporary circus performance in a public space – Cyr wheel, live music

From 12 to 13 september 2026

Jef Everaert and Marica Marinoni present Roue libre, an open-air Cyr wheel show in a park in Le Mans. The wheel moves across the grass in front of an audience seated around the playing area, illustrating the close relationship between the artists and the

Freewheel

Jardin des Plantes
Quai Louis Blanc (enceinte romaine)

France

02 43 47 45 54

bonjour@leplongeoir-cirque.fr

Price

Free : Sans Réservations

Roue libre is a creation by Jef Everaert and Marica Marinoni that invites the Cyr wheel to leave the theatres and take over the public spaces of Le Mans for ET HOP! – Act 1 of the 2026-2027 season. Presented free of charge on September 12 and 13, 2026 in the Jardin des Plantes and then on the Quai Louis Blanc, in the heart of the Roman walls, this 25-minute show, accompanied by live music, offers a sensitive encounter between contemporary circus, urban architecture and the natural landscape.

Far from perfectly smooth stages, the two artists choose to perform on grass, cobblestones, gravel, or earth. Each surface transforms their Cyr wheel practice and directly influences their movements. Here, the irregularities of the terrain are no longer constraints to be avoided but become true partners in their performance. The movements are constantly reinvented, driven by listening, adaptation, and improvisation, making each performance a different and unique experience.

Through writing imbued with poetry and humor, Jef Everaert and Marica Marinoni present two personalities with opposing sensibilities who constantly oscillate between confrontation, dialogue, and complicity. The performance delicately explores what distinguishes us as much as what unites us, giving ample space to interactions with the space and the spontaneity of the situations encountered. The music, performed live by Adrien Desse, accompanies this ongoing search for balance and enriches the relationship between the artists, their wheel, and their environment.

The duo's artistic history deeply informs this creation. Trained three years apart at the same circus school, they met in 2018 during a Marica workshop in Turin. Both share a fascination with the Cyr wheel but gradually developed two very different approaches to this discipline. Their research intersects their cultures, physiques, and artistic sensibilities to build a common language. Upon Jef's graduation in 2022, they decided to combine their experiences to create their first show as co-creators, making their research on the Cyr wheel the very heart of their artistic process.

Roue libre also offers an invitation to discover their work in a different format. Viewers wishing to extend the experience can see the duo again in In Difference, presented under a big top on September 15 and 16, 2026, where their work on the Cyr wheel unfolds in a longer format.

Beyond the performances, Le Plongeoir – Pôle National Cirque Le Mans Sarthe Pays de la Loire also offers, on Saturday, games and introductory workshops to acrobatic lifts accessible from 4:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., allowing the public to extend this day dedicated to contemporary circus in a friendly and participatory atmosphere.

Part of ET HOP! – Act 1 of the 2026-2027 season, running from September 12 to 19, 2026, Roue Libre participates in an opening week dedicated to sharing, wonder, and discovery. Through five shows presented under the Big Top, in the heart of the city, and in the Sablons – Bords de l'Huisne district, Le Plongeoir celebrates a circus season rich in emotion, encounters, and contemporary creations accessible to all. Free, with no reservation required, and open to audiences of all ages, Roue Libre offers a unique opportunity to experience the Cyr wheel in a new light, through an ongoing dialogue between artists, music, the city, and its inhabitants.