13 February 2014

A lack of movement in Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is full of statues including Nelson, George IV, some lions and a big blue cockerel that are made of stone, bronze and other strong arty substances, but there are also some other statues to be found there.
I am referring to the street entertainers who stand motionless like a statue but then move slightly or suddenly to scare or amaze passers-by.

I have seen some very clever ones in Barcelona, Prague, even Covent Garden, and marvelled at their strength and ability to stand still for so long, possibly just moving their eyes, but what we have here in Trafalgar Square these days are people making no real attempt at all – they don't even paint their bodies to look like statues any more. Instead they dress up head to toe in purchased outfits complete with rubber masks and then most of them wobble about on platform constructions intended to make it look like they are levitating. On the day I took these photos, back in November, there were four Star Wars characters including two Yodas and a girl in a Stormtrooper outfit who just made five minute attempts to hold poses but mostly stood around holding her helmet.
And the really annoying thing about this? People actually give them money!!!


  1. I haven't seen this before on my trips to London. DO NOT give them money, similar dressed up "performers" have invaded parts of Hollywood, and have ruined the area. They are a plague.

  2. A plague indeed... thinking about doing it myself (not really).
    In Cov Gdn people have to audition for the spots. Perhaps that doesn't apply in Traf Sq?

  3. Although I agree with your observations concerning Trafalgar Square, I was not aware of the audition procedure for Covent Garden.
    Surely this goes against the grain of what street entertainment is all about ; spontaneity and variety - it does help explain though why most of what is on offer at Covent Garden is mundane and repetitive if not always mediocre !!

  4. can only partly agree with you on this one Jane.

    Suited waifs who can't find their way to the 'trekky' convention are not quite getting the point and the 'floaters' who never take their hand off the stick never seem to appreciate my efforts to lift their carpet or suggestions that they give us a wave. Despite that, at least they make some kind of an effort. After all its not their fault a fool and their money are easily parted.

    But all said and done they are far less tedious than the dog on a string types sitting next to the cash point asking for 'spare' change. i'm going back a few years now but the one Tottenham Court Road HSBC soon stopped asking me after I gave him the obvious retort.

    As to second Anon spontanity and quality are two different issues!?

    Soz 'bout the grammar but am on me tablet and the keyboard does my headin..:-)

    anon3 not a google slave!

