The London International Mime Festival presents the best in contemporary visual theatre from around the world at the Barbican, the Royal Opera House, the Southbank Centre, Laban, the Lyric Hammersmith and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA). An innovation this year will see a specially curated mini-season at the Shunt Vaults, one of London's most unusual performance venues.

Highlights of the 2008 festival include a co-production between Opera North and Britain's famous Faulty Optic company featuring live music by rising star, composer Mira Calix; an award-winning version of Woyzeck from Korea; theatre of dreams and nightmare from Russia's BlackSkyWhite and the astonishing Paso Doble, runaway hit of last year's Avignon Festival in which French performer Josef Nadj and Catalan painter/sculptor Miquel Barcelo transform a stage made from two tons of wet red clay into a colossal art installation of constantly changing shapes and forms.

The season opens at the Southbank Centre's Purcell Room with 2007 Total Theatre Award winner Jos Houben and The Art of Laughter, a hilarious look at physical comedy. Other shows include famous clowns and mime artists, acrobatics, circus and dance.
 
The full programme is online at the London International Mime Festival website (external link, opens new browser window). It runs from Saturday 12 - Sunday 27 January 2008.