Stories About Gravity
Stories About Gravity introduces close-up juggling, a new genre inspired by close-up magic that unfolds in intimate spaces where every detail can be seen. Jay Gilligan combines storytelling with objects like meteorites, dinosaur eggs, and cannonballs, each carrying a history or idea that shapes the tricks. The experience ends by creating a time capsule for juggling, buried with the help of the audience.
Overview:
“The show didn’t change the way I think about juggling, it changed the way I think about TIME!”
- Nick Diffatte
“The finale made me cry! It was overwhelming in the best possible way!”
- Dirk Spiv
Stories About Gravity introduces a new genre of performance: close-up juggling. Inspired by the traditions of close-up magic, this form places the audience and performer in the same intimate space, without a stage or separation. The small setting allows every person to see clearly and to be seen in return, making the experience conversational rather than theatrical. The tricks are designed for proximity, using smaller objects and movements that unfold directly in front of the audience, often on a table, where subtlety and detail matter more than spectacle.
Designed for theater and festival audiences, Jay draws on four decades of international performance experience. Familiar props are joined by objects that carry vast spans of time- a meteorite, a dinosaur egg, a cannonball. The show builds emotional meaning into the objects being juggled, with each one carrying a story or idea that frames the trick that follows. Instead of grand choreography or large-scale production, the rhythm is closer to chamber music or a house concert: direct, personal, and grounded in shared presence. As the finale of the performance, Jay creates a time capsule of juggling together with the audience, recording balances, spins, and patterns for the future. The ceremony ends outside, where the capsule is buried, transforming the performance into a collective ritual.
Stories About Gravity is well-suited for theaters, museums, and festivals seeking performances that merge physical skill with intellectual engagement. The show can adapt to a range of spaces and encourages audiences to consider juggling as part of a broader cultural conversation. With its mix of humor, history, and virtuosity, Stories About Gravity offers a unique opportunity to present juggling as a form of cultural performance with wide audience appeal.
“58 years ago, when I was 12, I saw Francis Brunn perform on TV- live from the Rastelli Festival.
I used to bicycle to the town library just to look at a map large enough to find his home town- Aschaffenburgh, Germany.
He showed me how to dream. Let Jay help your dreams.”
- Michael Moschen
"Jay Gilligan takes inspiration from Michael Moshen and Derek Delgaudio, toying with gravity and physics in ways I've never seen before...
Check it out! Bravo!"
- Neil Patrick Harris, Actor & Producer
"Jay challenges you to define what juggling is in your mind and changes your preconceived notions about the nature or movement and patterns... You think you're going to see a juggler, then you find out you have no idea what a juggler is!"
- Théater Pizzas Review, NYC
Production Details:
Company:
Shaking the Sky
Show Title:
Stories About Gravity
Performers:
Performer:
Jay Gilligan (USA/SWE)
Length:
70 minutes (including burying the time capsule outside)
Target Audience:
All Ages
Language:
English (a non-verbal version of the show is also available)
Performance Space:
Cleared and clean 3x3 meter floorspace, minimum 2.5 meter ceiling height. Blackout not required.
Technical Requirements:
2 standard 220v electrical outlets with extension cords near the performance area.
Load in Time:
4 hours prior to showtime.
Load Out Time:
1 hour after the last audience member has left.
Shoe Size:
Production Details:
Company:
Shaking the Sky
Show Title:
Stories About Gravity
Performers:
Performer:
Jay Gilligan (USA/SWE)
Length:
70 minutes (including burying the time capsule outside)
Target Audience:
All Ages
Language:
English (a non-verbal version of the show is also available)
Performance Space:
Cleared and clean 3x3 meter floorspace, minimum 2.5 meter ceiling height. Blackout not required.
Technical Requirements:
2 standard 220v electrical outlets with extension cords near the performance area.
Load in Time:
4 hours prior to showtime.
Load Out Time:
1 hour after the last audience member has left.
Shoe Size:
“The show didn’t change the way I think about juggling, it changed the way I think about TIME!”
- Nick Diffatte
“The finale made me cry! It was overwhelming in the best possible way!”
- Dirk Spiv
Stories About Gravity introduces a new genre of performance: close-up juggling. Inspired by the traditions of close-up magic, this form places the audience and performer in the same intimate space, without a stage or separation. The small setting allows every person to see clearly and to be seen in return, making the experience conversational rather than theatrical. The tricks are designed for proximity, using smaller objects and movements that unfold directly in front of the audience, often on a table, where subtlety and detail matter more than spectacle.
Designed for theater and festival audiences, Jay draws on four decades of international performance experience. Familiar props are joined by objects that carry vast spans of time- a meteorite, a dinosaur egg, a cannonball. The show builds emotional meaning into the objects being juggled, with each one carrying a story or idea that frames the trick that follows. Instead of grand choreography or large-scale production, the rhythm is closer to chamber music or a house concert: direct, personal, and grounded in shared presence. As the finale of the performance, Jay creates a time capsule of juggling together with the audience, recording balances, spins, and patterns for the future. The ceremony ends outside, where the capsule is buried, transforming the performance into a collective ritual.
Stories About Gravity is well-suited for theaters, museums, and festivals seeking performances that merge physical skill with intellectual engagement. The show can adapt to a range of spaces and encourages audiences to consider juggling as part of a broader cultural conversation. With its mix of humor, history, and virtuosity, Stories About Gravity offers a unique opportunity to present juggling as a form of cultural performance with wide audience appeal.
“58 years ago, when I was 12, I saw Francis Brunn perform on TV- live from the Rastelli Festival.
I used to bicycle to the town library just to look at a map large enough to find his home town- Aschaffenburgh, Germany.
He showed me how to dream. Let Jay help your dreams.”
- Michael Moschen
