Circus 1903
30 December 2021
Southbank Centre
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
I had originally wanted to see Circus 1903 on its previously planned run, but unfortunately travel restrictions led to the show being cancelled. I was very happy to see that it actually managed to go ahead this year though, so grabbed myself a ticket for the week after Christmas!
I’ve always loved circus shows as a child, but growing up I learned how awful those were for the animals involved in them. Luckily, most circuses do not include any animal shows anymore, and this one is especially brilliant for including life-size puppets of elephants! This was a huge draw for me, as I love on-stage puppetry. The show is very much styled like an old-timey circus, with the first half consisting of smaller acts “practising” while the big top is set up around them, and the second half being presented as the actual circus performance.
Circus 1903 includes international circus artists with fun and breath taking show acts! This time round, I thought the variety seemed a bit limited, with no fire breathing, knife throwing, or magic acts present. However, I’m assuming this is down to travel restrictions still making travel from many countries quite difficult and the line up of acts thus being a little more limited.
Still, the acts that did perform were all very good! I’m always astounded at the talent and incredible skill of circus performers, who often spend a large part of their lives training for their acts. Incredible feats and fantastic entertainment were definitely the focus of this show. There were also a few clumsy attempts to include some of the children in the audience in the action on stage, which were funny but a bit flat at times. Still, a fantastic family show!