CIRCUS The Show ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Roll up! Roll up! Prepare to enter a world of whimsy, wonder and amazement where your imagination will soar like never before, in this completely reimagined family circus spectacular that families across the globe are raving about!”

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about walking into a circus. The lights, the costumes, the sense that anything could happen and, of course, the small but very real fear that somebody is about to attempt something that looks medically inadvisable. CIRCUS The Show embraces all of that and packages it into a colourful, high-energy family spectacular that feels much more like a traditional circus than many of the circus shows that appear at the Fringe.

Direction is brilliant at creating the feeling that you are watching a proper circus spectacular. The production has a lovely sense of scale and keeps the acts flowing fluently from one to another. I also enjoyed the moments when the performers move around the audience rather than simply remaining on stage. It creates a feeling that the circus is happening all around you and makes the audience feel more involved. There are a few moments, however, where this becomes slightly distracting. When an act is already demanding your full attention, having performers moving around the auditorium can occasionally pull focus away from the main event.

Costume is exactly what you want from an all-out circus. The company has clearly decided that if they are going to do circus, they are going to do circus. There is glitter, sequins, beautiful embroidery and an enormous amount of detail. The costumes add another layer of spectacle and help each performer feel like they belong in a different part of this colourful circus world. They are theatrical without becoming tacky, and they look particularly impressive under the lighting.

Lighting is one of the production’s biggest strengths. It was genuinely refreshing to see so many different lighting states come together so effectively in a circus Fringe production. The design creates a huge variety of looks and helps each segment feel distinct, while still making the whole production feel cohesive. There is a real sense of scale to it. The lighting doesn’t simply make the performers visible; it creates atmosphere, excitement and expectation. It knows when to go big and when to let the act speak for itself. Sound is equally well judged. It gets loud when it needs to, particularly during the larger acts, but it never becomes uncomfortably loud or overwhelms what is happening on stage. The only thing is the announcements at the beginning are really quiet, and I struggled to hear them.

The performances are where the production really earns its circus credentials. The aerialist was brilliant and was my favourite performer of the show. She also incorporates hula hooping into her performance, demonstrating an impressive combination of strength, control and delicacy. The magician is also very good, although I found his section slightly brief. I would happily have seen more, because there was clearly enough skill to warrant a longer routine. The Ringmaster is charismatic and likeable, with a strong presence throughout the show and a great job keeping the different acts connected. The performance has a lovely sense of traditional circus showmanship. The clown was more of a mixed blessing for me. When he is silent, I really enjoyed him. The physical comedy works well, and there is something wonderfully classic about a clown who can communicate purely through movement. However, I found his sound quite irritating at times, and there were occasions where I couldn’t hear what he was saying at all. I also found his involvement during the hula hoop act slightly distracting. He was trying to encourage the audience to clap by blowing his whistle and performing exaggerated dance moves. Still, because the hula hoop work was already so impressive, the additional business actually pulled my attention away from the performer.

CIRCUS The Show is ultimately a very enjoyable family circus that understands the importance of spectacle. It has the costumes, the lighting, the music, the physical skill and the sheer variety of acts needed to keep a family audience entertained. There are moments when I wish the production could trust its acts a little more and let them take centre stage without additional distractions. Yet, those moments are relatively small within what is otherwise a polished and exciting show.

CIRCUS The Show plays at the Palais du Variété at Assembly George Square Gardens until the 31st August at 1:25 pm with an approximate run time of 60 minutes.

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