Aerialist
2018The colourful life of a trapeze artist.
Originally commissioned by NESTA and printing funded by Arts Council England.
“The act can go wrong in a heartbeat… Rebecca Truman, founder of Britain’s first female contemporary circus company Skinning the Cat, takes us on an astonishing, often heart-breaking journey from her childhood tumbling to being one of the world’s most sought-after performers.
In this unflinching account, we share the life-threatening lows and adrenaline highs, the pains and the joy of becoming an aerialist. We learn what it’s like to risk everything – your health, your reputation and your life – to take up the trapeze and fly.”
Dr Dea Birkett Circus 250.
"A gripping journey into the life and mind of a trapeze artist. Truman writes with all the evocative colour and underlying precision of the shows she describes."
Douglas McPherson, author of Circus Mania.
“Above all else, circus makes you FEEL. Trapeze artist Becky Truman's autobiography is circus through and through, soaring wih its highs and wrenching with its lows; at once down-to-earth (she's a rigger, technician and long-distance driver) and beautifully poetic - she's an artist, a visionary, a firebird.
'Aerialist' tells the unsung story of Becky's company, Skinning The Cat, a vibrant part of the late 20th Century circus landscape, who were instrumental in the development of new circus within the UK - and all women! Her book captures a time, a movement, a passion, and the strains on mental health that a creative career can so easily wreak. It's an important modern addition to the annals of circus literature and I feel privileged to be let in on the story.”
Katharine Kavanagh, The Circus Diaries.
The V&A Collection
2018 - Currenthttps://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1294886/theatre-costume-truman-rebecca/
Recognised for her innovative circus costume design this was chosen by the V and A collector for the contribution of Rebecca Truman to the circus industry.
The Circus Archive
2019 - CurrentArchive: The National Fairground and Circus
https://sheffield.ac.uk/library/special-collections-heritage-and-archives/national-fairground-and-circus-archive
The Skinning the Cat collection including all costumes and archive material is held at the National Fairground and Circus archive to recognise the company's contribution to circus history.