one4review | On 13, Aug 2025

In The Nose Dive Assembly, we meet Pierrot, a distracted mistress of ceremonies. She is meant to be running the show but can’t focus – this is how the blurb for the show starts; however, this feels a lot truer to life than I thought it would. The show sweeps through contemporary disciplines – teeterboard, cloud swing, and German wheel – and threads them with Pierrot’s itch to soar the skies. This show wants to go big! Big rigs, bold ideas, and a finale built around the Wheel of Death! What more could you want in theory?

From the seats, though, the night swung between awe and unease. A dead floor light left the German wheel sequence half in darkness, so whole phrases of movement vanished. Midway through a high-flying routine, the performer was abruptly lowered; a brief “For safety, we’re moving on” offered no context, and as we awkwardly started to clap (felt a bit bad for the performer and wasn’t sure what had happened), we got “yes clap”. Later, a group sliding section felt under-rehearsed and a bit hazardous, and a hoisted ringmaster sight gag landed with a thud, quite literally, and it looked more painful than funny. Those bumps didn’t just break momentum; they dented trust.

And yet the best moments reminded me why I came. Having enjoyed this company before, I wanted to love this; I really did, and the Wheel of Death finale delivered: focused, thrilling, and cleanly executed. However, while watching, because of the various issues in a number of sections, I couldn’t help but be slightly worried about safety, and although that’s in some way the point of a circus – the thrill – the reality is I assume everyone is a trained athlete going through some very impressive routines, but when I see them hurt themselves, I move from joyful spectator to concerned human.

I’d recommend the show to audiences who relish risk and invention, with the caveat that tech and safety communication need tightening. Stronger transitions between set pieces, clearer messaging if something goes wrong, and double-checks on lighting and sound would rebuild confidence and cohesion. When the daring meets the detail, the Nose Dive Assembly can soar as high as Pierrot dreams.

***

Reviewed by Matthew

Underbelly’s Circus Hub on the Meadows – Lafayette

16.10 (1hr)

Until 23 Aug (not 18)