Street Entertainer Dave Evans

As well as being known for it's trendy shops and numerous attractive cafés and restaurants, Covent Garden also plays host and provides a large open air stage for some of the most talented and eccentric performers in the world. Sometimes a little strange, sometimes a little out there, and ALWAYS attention seeking - the street performers. We have all at some time or another passed by a street performer seeking our attention. But have you ever wondered about the person behind the act? What would put the passion behind such a unique art of performing? I spoke with Dave Evans, a street performer in the Covent Garden Piazza for the past 13 years, to find out a little more about this well-known but often overlooked art form.

Dave Evans, originally from London, began his passion of the stage when he first learned to juggle. At a young age his parents saw his passion for performing and decided to help him along. They contacted the circus that was in town and found out they had workshops available. So Dave anxiously went to learn the basics such as more advanced juggling and unicycling. Then, a friend of his mothers who was in the performance business also as a clown invited Dave to come with her to a clown convention. "She took me under her wing. We did some shows together and I saw these other street shows happening, and basically I didn't look back from there."

So Dave began practising and learning about his new found passion. In the past 13 years, it has allowed him to travel and see the world knowing that there is always a stage available. There is definitely a certain amount of freedom in his work that most are not able to enjoy. "My job is so flexible and also you can go anywhere in the world. If I wanted to go to Australia tomorrow I could go and I'd work and I'd know someone there who could put me up and I could do a show within 10 hours of arriving. You get to see a lot of beautiful places and meet a lot of really interesting, nice people."

As his only source of income Dave must rely on his audience to enjoy what they see. It takes a special kind of performer to please an audience that doesn't buy tickets or make plans to actually be entertained. Spontaneity is key to deal with any surprises that may come up. Audiences are not always entirely co-operative. Once Dave was performing high above on his unicycle and suddenly a quick push from behind by an unexpected bystander and Dave made a quick, yet luckily non-injury inducing fall to the ground. These instances are few and far between, however, and Dave has nothing disrespecting to say about his audience. "I'm one of those people who doesn't really believe in a bad audience. I mean, obviously to a certain degree it's down to the performer... and be it consciously or subconsciously I create an environment where the audience and everyone around feels that they can interact and join in a little bit. I tend to think that your job as a street performer is to make your job work in almost any environment that you're put in. You're using your surroundings and the people around you to make everything work in your favour, to make a laugh of things."

Throughout the many years of doing his show in the Covent Garden Piazza Dave has altered his show frequently, depending upon his new ideas and also those of the audience. He's currently working on a new finale to the performance where he'll strap a food blender to his head and throw fruit into it as it's whirling around on his head. (Hmmm...interesting). Only from the artistic mind of a street performer. "I suppose I enjoy being slightly eccentric and sticking out a little bit and not conforming to the norm. I like the attention."

The audience, its participation and enthusiasm play such an important role in the life and success of a street performer. When asked what he would lastly like to say to his potential spectators reading this, Dave asks that they "...appreciate what it is for what it is. There's not that many people that do street performing and those people that do it, generally are doing it for a living. It's not a hobby, it's about what we enjoy doing. So don't be shy, step forward and get involved. Have fun and enjoy yourselves at a show because the more you give as an audience the more the performer will give to you as a performer and vice versa."

So there you have it, a little insight into the life and etiquette of a street performer. The next time you pass a performer, take a moment to get involved, you are guaranteed a good laugh and a lasting smile to take you on your way.

Dave Evans usually performs Fridays and Saturdays between 13:00-15:00 in the West Piazza, and Saturdays and Sundays inside The Market area.

Article, and interview, and photos by Carey Gordon

© Covent Garden Community Association, February 2001

 

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