Late in the 12th century, the movement of troubadours and trobairitz was started in the Provence.
These poets from the higher strata of society usually did not perform their work themselves,
but charged "jugglers" to travel from court to court and to magnify their employers' honour
by relating a troubadour's love for the lady of his choice in an elaborate performance.
Jugglers and Joglaresas (their female counterparts) often had many talents:
Storytelling, recitation, singing, playing of various instruments, acrobatics, magic and juggling.

Roger Bacon (1214-94) gives us a contemporary eyewitness account:
“We have many men that by the nimblenesse and activity of body, diversification of sounds, exactness of instruments, darkness, or consent, make things seem to be present, which never were really existent in the course of Nature.
A Juggler, by an handsome sleight of hand, will put a compleat lie upon the very sight.“

In this programme, storytelling and masterly juggling, instrumental music full of verve and touching love songs
bring the shared magic of troubadours and jugglers to life.

Ben Smalls: Juggling / Miriam Andersén: Joglaresa, voice, Gothic harp /  Susanne Ansorg: Vielle, Rebec /
Ian Harrison: Shawm, bagpipes, cornetto, voice / Jean Walther: Psaltery, viella, shawm, percussion
Vladimir Ivanoff: Percussion, lute, musical director.