Worthing circus performers share devastating impact of Covid-19: ‘We have nowhere to go’

Kate Wright has owned Poi Passion for over 20 years, bringing her fire-breathing, stilt-walking, all-action performances to thousands of people every year.

The mum-of-three, alongside her husband Matt Dumbleton, breathed life into festivals, weddings, parties, school workshops – ‘anywhere there was a crowd’, she said.

But as the pandemic took hold in March, Kate’s diary was wiped clean. Suddenly her business was facing ruin and her life’s passion, performing, was outlawed.

“My business has gone backwards to being like we are just starting out again,” said the 45-year-old.

“For a lot of performers this has hit really hard because we are used to being active and performing. I have had to fight through some really dark days this last year. I know it’s been difficult for everyone, but we need to be performing.”

Kate has racked up £11,000 of debt from having to invest in laptops, cameras and home studio equipment. She and Matt are sleeping on the floor, sacrificing their bed to make space for performances.

The result is a pale reflection of their old life. “You can stick us in front of 6,000 cameras and it’s never going to be the same,” said Kate.

As a self-employed person, financial support from the Government was late to arrive and based on her income from the last three years.

With a four-year-old child, much of that time was spent on maternity leave, meaning Kate receives just £400 of support every few months.

She said many of her fellow performers are in similar situations, having recently started families and receiving paltry levels of financial support as a result.

To make ends meet, Kate has been delivering performances and workshops online, as well as painting, decorating and gardening.

She had also been doing socially distanced doorstep performances but, after complaints from neighbours, they were banned for breaching social restrictions.

Even so, the fleeting smiles and applause from those face-to-face performances ‘healed her heart’.

“Some of this lockdown feels like everybody is disconnected but we have to stay connected,” said Kate.

“We’ve gone from entertaining thousands of people a year, face to face, to talking to cameras on our own. We have nowhere to go.”

Poi Passion also teaches yoga and meditation, balancing the superficial chaos of performing with an inner calm and focus.

It is here that a new reliance on the internet has been positive, allowing Kate to connect with people from all over the world.

She said she had been forced to ‘totally think outside of our normal boxes’ and the pandemic has pushed her to modernise in ways ‘she should have done ten years ago’.

Once restrictions are eased, she said she will keep a webcam stream running in classes.

Although it is not a foregone conclusion Poi Passion will survive, Kate is not ready to give up yet. “I want to speak out for everybody who is in my shoes, who has spent 22 years creating something that could just be smashed to bits,” she said.

“But it’s hard to see a way out of the tunnel when there’s no light at the end.”

Book Poi Passion at www.poipassion.co.uk