one4review | On 09, Aug 2022

We open Circa’s Carnival of Animals with a somewhat ringmaster banging a large stick, seemingly bringing on the animals at the circus. Zebras, elephants, penguins, monkeys, cats? This show has so many animal references you start to lose count, but really you’re here for the high-flying circus and physical theatre you know Circa are good for and they deliver well.

Animations are used to set the scene, with various levels of success as it isn’t always clear what animal you are watching, but you won’t hold that against them as they fling themselves around the stage and each other!

Juggling, skipping, aerial work, human pyramids, giant balloons, and sharks eating the audience, this show has everything you may expect from a circus-style performance but at times it feels like some sections have been put in for comic relief or just to keep the show moving, for example, we have a beautiful aerial silk moment which is sadly broken by giant balloons being tossed into the audience to create a wild frenzy of children screaming, which is exactly what you want in a family show, just not at the same time as I wasn’t sure where I should be looking.

Allowing us to enjoy the moment without the need to thrust a ‘funny’ may have helped the stunning blue-nosed (watch this performer whenever they are on stage) aerial performance where your eye is stolen by some ‘cats’ in the background being, well, cats. There were some falls, things dropped that were clearly a bit of rust and day-one energy and I’m sure this will be ironed out but nothing detracts from the clear ability of these outstanding performers, allowing them some time to shine without the need for a chuckle may take this show that step further.

****

Reviewed by Matthew

House of Oz – The Great Indoors

15.00 (50 mins)

Until Aug 28th (not 10th, 15th, 22nd or 23rd)