Murray Molloy Sword Swallower Extraordinaire from Ireland
has been performing and traveling all over the world from Australia to Laos and
Portugal to Fiji, for more than fifteen years. He has performed on the street,
in bars, clubs and festivals, in front of tribal chiefs and in the legendary
Jim Rose Circus in America and the Edinburgh fringe festival. He has studied
yoga in the spiritual capital of India, Benares and clown with the famous Jango
Edwards in Barcelona. He currently lives in Spain where he is exploring new
fusions with cutting edge creators from diverse fields.
What challenges did you encounter when you first started
performing?
One of the biggest challenges was to make people comfortable
watching me do what I do. Its a pretty scary stunt and I wanted to make it fun,
that's been a huge challenge! Also because I started performing on the street
it was a big challenge learning to attract and hold the attention of a crowd!
How do you connect
with audiences and keep them engaged?
My show is based on audience participation; I constantly
push the crowd to react and interact with me, whether through jokes, moving
among the audience or inviting people onstage.
Your experience of
performing in Kolkata?
I had a great time in Kolkata; the audience was a lot of
fun, very energetic!
Origin of sword swallowing is traced back in India. Please
share your views?
Sword swallowing originated in India of 3,500 years ago by
Fakirs and Shaman priests who developed it along with fire-walking on hot
coals, snake handling and other ascetic religious practices as a demonstration
of their power, invulnerability and connection with the divine. Sword
swallowing is still practiced in some parts of India and there is rumored to be
a tribe in Andhra Pradesh who pass the art from father to son. From India sword
swallowing spread to China, Greece, Rome and Europe, sword swallowers are
mentioned in 410 AD during the Teutonic fight for Rome. From Europe it traveled
to America.
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