Wow, wow, wow! My second circus of the festival (with two more to come) Circa Humans 2.0 offers a stunning piece of theatrical circus with a physicality and choreography, unlike anything I have seen before.
It is a high energy, high octane, high silk infusion of circus and humanity with truthful seam running through the middle. Circus is hard enough with all the skills and abilities it entails, but then to lay on top an artistic aesthetic which makes us go away thinking not only of the turns and the tricks but of the humanity underneath is certainly an impressive feat.
And talking of impressive feats the show was full of them. Against an ululating, pulsating, stamping, stomping soundtrack a gaggle of black clad acrobats, gymnastics and aerialists rotate, rock and revolve in a thousand and one different computations, permutations and combinations.
This is not in any way traditional circus – no jugglers, no animals just one long, endless gyration of gymnastics. It’s a huge mixture of beautifully blended flavours, blended so smoothly it’s sometimes impossible to differentiate between the flavours.
The music thumps and pumps over and over with unyielding tempo. It’s earnest and could do with a dash of character and humour and is greeted with a huge ovation which is impossible not to join in!
It’s circus, but not as we know it!
Reviewer: Peter Kinnock
Reviewed: 18th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: