Giant candy dolls, stilt walkers, massive hug-loving teddy bears and an interactive jazz band are entertaining visitors of the Sharjah International Book Fair every day from November 4 to 14 at the Sharjah Expo Center. The roaming events are organized by Saltimbanco Italiano, an Italian company that started in Rome in 1991 by its CEO Celina Miklaszewski and the company’s art director Marco Fraschetti. Speaking about the roaming acts during the Book Fair, Celina said that it is a great way to bring joy to the festival’s visitors directly in the exhibition area. “Instead of waiting for them to come to the theater, we bring some shows directly into the exhibition area and they can enjoy them while they’re walking around,” she explained. This is not the first time for Saltimbanco to be involved with the Sharjah book fair. The first time was two years ago.
During the roaming shows, interaction with the audience, according to Celina, is key. “This is how communication and the capacity of artistic expression can be rediscovered,” she said adding that being interactive, means that the shows will be memorable. “When you’re watching a show, you experience it through your eyes and ears but when you’re involved and you’re an active part of a show, you awaken all your senses and you will remember it,” said Celina adding that in the present age, we are surrounded by electronic media and that is why it’s important that children rediscover the value of real experiences in which they are the protagonists. Inspired by European street theater, the shows are family-oriented and help create memories that last a lifetime. “Saltimbanco’s staff are professional teachers in theater, music and artistic expression and that is why each show is carefully designed to maximize its cultural and educational impact,” said Celina. The roaming performers are delighting all the visitors to the fair and often stop to take pictures with them.