“Cirque Beserk”
Nottingham Theatre Royal

I can’t ever remember visiting a circus in my life, but what is a circus if not a theatrical show in a big tent. Well, Cirque Beserk have moved the Big Top to the theatre stage, so with my love of the theatre and not having experienced a full blown circus, how could I let this pass me by?

I can sum this show up in one sentence. The most exciting thing I have seen on stage.

The show is designed to get your pulse and heart racing with it’s death defying stunts, and that certainly works as act after act vie for your applause and terror. Just wait until you see the headline act with the motorbikes in “The Globe Of Death”

Even though there was something that stopped all four motor cyclists from whizzing around that large metal cage like fish bowl, the sight of three bikers, all lit up was jaw dropping.

When you think that just one second mis timing could possibly mean an horrendous accident, and you being feet away, made this section hair raising.

I really don't think any words can suitably describe the performances on stage or the atmosphere in the theatre, apart from pure electric.

We see acts similar to some of these on shows like Britain's Got Talent, but to see them live on stage really brings it home to you just how dangerous the performances are and how talented the acts are. It also makes you think of the amount of time these people put into their shows to perfect them to the standard we see here.

The tumblers are incredible acrobats who perform with great speed, adding a further element of danger by including fire.

The bolas, which are used as a hunting weapon made of two weights on the end of strong cords, and if you're old enough to remember "klackers" which always ended up causing bruised wrists after they battered you when they missed, they are a more dangerous version of them. The two artists made them an art by creating music with them among other entertaining sections.

Odka who practically pours herself from a large bottle, and then contorts herself into an archer.

Jose and Gaby, a balancing act with incredible strength.

A Cuban troupe who catapult themselves into the air, so high you'd have neck ache watching them. Again the timing in this act is incredible.

Jackie the strap acrobat, who mixes grace with hair raisingactobatic skills.

One definitely for the ladies is Laci Fossett, an incredibly fit young man performing his aerial pole act

There's an incredible juggling act who likes to do things on a large scale, Germaine juggles everything from hoops and balls to a massive fiery platform. What strength that woman has in her legs!

There's knife throwers who will have you holding your breath.

Dancers and aerial ballet acts which will have your eyes as wide as they can go.

An amazing balancing act on stacks of chairs and not forgetting a giant robot.

No circus is complete without clowns and the Mustache Brothers fill that gap wonderfully. Slapstick, comedy and an amazing skill for acrobatics and physical comedy.

They mix vintage comedy routines with some very clever and funny original comedy routines together and out comes a wonderfully gigglesome section for all ages.

There are several random sections which segue acts together albeit randomly, they make the show seem to be seamless, and over all too soon.

This show really is a theatre piece for every age group. It delves back into the roots of circus and commedia dell'arte, and like I said, something that I've not experienced in a theatre venue before, but something I would readily see again

I have tried to give just a little incite as to how exciting this show is, but to really understand what an incredibly breath taking global piece of theatre, you really need to see it.

No wonder so many people wanted to run off to the circus back in the day.

“Cirque Beserk” is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 30 June 2018.