BRIEF HISTORY

The Fabulous Fezheads are the Country's Premier Sand Dance Vaudevillian Illusionists, carrying on in the tradition of Old ‘Blind Ned’ Cleggett, (link to Blind Ned) and his Famous Stage Act of the 1930’s, The Amazing ‘Flying’ Cleggetts.

Starring his Great Grandson Pete the ‘Flying’ Cleggett, the Fabulous Fezheads were actually founded in 1991 as the result of a chance encounter between Adonis Kebab, El Turnipo, Phil the Hun and Pete the ‘Flying’ Cleggett while performing at the Brighton Arts Festival.

Listening to tales and stories of Pete’s amazing family's Music Hall Act, with the Sand Dance and Ned’s Spectacular Stunts they were inspired to form a new act to include the Sand Dance and adopt The Fezheads name.

THE EARLY YEARS

Father Ken and Adonis Kebab perform the classic Sand Dance ……Cleggett performs some basic Circus Tricks.



In 1996 we made the leap into Stage Illusion with Cleggett the Escapologist – “the ‘Flying’ Cleggett is Bound, Blindfolded, then Nailed and Chained" in the Sarcophagus of Dhoom from whence he’s challenged to Escape!” Having fulfilled part of his dream to perform one of the Famous Stunts of his Great Grandfather's Stage Act, Pete felt it was time to press on so we became The Fabulous Fezheads.

As Cleggett is Bound, Blindfolded, Nailed and Chained in the Sarcophagus of Dhoom The Fabulous Fezheads perform ‘Sons of the Desert’ while he attempts escape ( The Hawth Theatre Crawley )

In 1997 the Fezheads came of age with the revival of The Flying Cleggett – “the act that put ‘Flying’ into Cleggett. Pete risks everything when he is Loaded into the canon, then Fired as a Human Projectile.” This was shortly followed by the Vanishing Cleggett ( Magic ) Hoops of Destiny and Laces of Fire ( Both Stunts ).

Cleggett prepares for his First Flight off Bluebell Hill, Chatham……………and emerging from the Canon

In 1999 we built The Wheel of Death - “a rotating wheel of death upon which the ‘Flying’ Cleggett is used as a spinning Human Target for our resident Knife thrower ‘Phil the Hun’.”

Although we had practiced for many months there were still safety concerns with this Act, especially when it was first premiered at 5.30am during a pagan May 1st Dawn Ceremony!

The Wheel of Death is in fact based on the old American burlesque Act of ‘Chopper’ Smith and his performing Baboon in the 1930’s Midwest.

The original Act consisted of ‘Chopper’ strapping the unfortunate Baboon to the Wheel of a Wagon and throwing knives between the spokes of the wheel and the Baboon. Obviously we could not ( for various legal, moral and practical reasons ) lay our hands on a Baboon and a Wagon. However, we appeared to have the next best thing in Pete the ‘Flying’ Cleggett and Adonis Kebab's brilliance for building Stage Props.

The Act of the ‘Flying Cleggett and the Wheel of Death’ consists of Pete (the ‘Flying’ Cleggett ) being strapped onto a revolving wheel of death and having knives thrown at him by a Blindfolded Knife Thrower! The Blind Knife Thrower purely using the sound of Cleggett's voice as a guide for the deadly blades.

2002 saw the premier of Dr Roger’s Cabinet of Correction – “In a desperate attempt to improve his performance, Cleggett is clamped by his head in a Cabinet of Correction and Sawn in half in order that Dr Roger can perform corrective surgery!”

Cleggett is loaded into the Cabinet of Correction as Dicky Fez prepares to saw! ( Children’s Circus Guilfest )

APPEARANCES INCLUDE:

· Rochester Sweeps Festival -14 consecutive years
· Rochester Winter Dickens Festival
· Chippenham Folk Festival
· Southwark Festival
· Guildford Live 2000,2001
· Guilfest 2002,2003,2004,2005
· Glastonbury 2000,2003 – Including 3 Stage Shows as a Band
· Crawley Folk Festival
· Renegades Pissed Indian Rally 1999,2000,2001
· Bracknell Festival
· Stroud Festival
· Folkstone International – Rio Carnival
· Trowbridge Village Pump Festival
· Bambury Folk Festival
· Sidmouth International Folk Festival
· Wimborne Folk Festival – 15 consecutive years
· Festival of Horror – San Sebastian Northern Spain
· Spitz Nightclub, Spitlefields Market, London
· Aaron Stones Nightclub, Rochester
· Royal Festival Hall, Southbank
· Polperro Arts Festival 2003,2005
· Saracens RUFC, Vicarage Road Stadium – over 40 appearances during 4 consecutive Seasons 1999 –2002 and now back!
· Twickenham Stadium 2004
· Beaminster Festival

ROGUES GALLERY

The Fabulous Fezheads with former England Rugby International and Sky Sports pundit Mick ‘the Munch’ Skinner

Fabulous Fezheads at Glastonbury 2000 and parading with Yasmine our Belly Dancer at Rochester Sweeps Festival

Fabulous Fezheads at the Southwark Festival – July 2002
and Knife Throwing between numbers at Southwark Park

The Fabulous Fezheads are also a Band and follow an active Youth Policy

Fig & Date Band 2004, Snake Hips Steve in Full Swing and The Uncut Stage Guilfest 2004

Bambury Folk Festival 2000 and the Fabulous Fezhead Youth Policy

In addition we also host and promote our own Festival The International Fig and Date Fayre held the last weekend in March at different locations around the UK.

Featuring Keith the Camel, Adonis Kebab, Father Ken and El Turnipo, the Fabulous Fezheads blend a mixture of Dance, Danger and Illusion that will both Astound, Astonish and Amuse.

Much more information is avaiable on this website...

All text and images © WebKrime Dept./The Fabulous Fezheads