Circus of Horrors review at The Bristol Hippodrome
Posted on: 2015-03-31
Our rating:
Unlike anything you've seen, Circus of Horrors orgiastically overflows with quirky fun, dark eccentricities, outlandish characters, awesome performances and death defying stunts.
When a show starts with a midget running through the usual pre-theatre spiel about not filming or using flash photography whilst at the same time intermittently flashing his genitals, you know you're not in for the latest stage production of Jane Eyre. But of course you're not. This is Circus of Horrors, one of the boldest, brashest, craziest, zaniest, funniest, scariest, loudest productions you'll ever see in the live theatre, which played at the Bristol Hippodrome on Monday 30 March 2015.
Their latest tour, The Night of the Zombie, marks the group's 20th anniversary. They made it to the finals of Britain's Got Talent but, as with so many other winners who inevitably slipped into totally unmemorable oblivion and a return to their Tescos day job, Circus of Horrors instead have made it big. Very big indeed. (And that's just the kind of ribald, Carry On-esque riposte one of the characters might say.)
They've since become a household name and amassed an obsessively loyal fan base, making appearances on shows such as The X Factor, Body Shockers, Ant and Dec and The One Show. In 2014 it made another quantum leap in its record-breaking, history-making set of achievements in that it became the first circus to run a series of West End dates in 100 years. On top of that, they've toured the world, performing at gigs alongside the rather impressive likes of Iron Maiden, Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper.
So I think you'll agree, this big bad circus did pretty darned good.
This is one outrageously entertaining show, oscillating skillfully between comedy and horror with effortless aplomb. The story is set in 2020 in decaying London which is now over-ridden by corpses, ghouls and zombies and culminates in a wild, hysterical orgy of blood, death, dismemberment and world annihilation. But this is just the most gossamer of threads on which to hang the real, genuine, gobsmacking spectacle. There are sword swallowers, balancing acts, a knife thrower, aerialists, a demon dwarf, fire-limboing acrobats, an acrobat who spins from her hair, the gymnastic ,eye-poppingly agile Sinister Sisters, and and army of glow-in-the-dark dancing skeletons.
And that's just what I can remember. The show is so jam-packed with incredible stunts and amazing feats, and the whole thing whips along with the ferocity and pace of an unstoppable locomotive, it's difficult to recollect them all.
Aside from the comedy dwarf who reappeared at regular intervals to perform twisted stunts involving his meat and two veg, a Henry Hoover and a bowling ball (work it out for yourselves), other memorable characters included the leader of it all, Dr Haze, and Camp Dracula, an amusing amalgam of Nosferatu and Kenneth Williams. Another star of the show turned out to be one Dale in the front row who was called up on stage every time a bit of audience participation was required. And at one point, a lumbering horde of groaning, bandage-wrapped mummies got to the stage from the back of the stalls by clambering over audience members to get there.
Circus of Horrors is a horrific and hysterical hoot from start to finish, a corpse-ridden carnival, ramped up with twisted humour, dark sensibilities and a true theatrical sense of the Grand Guignol. It's also very funny, the mordant wit and wickedly cheeky interludes counterbalancing what might otherwise be too intense a ride for some. On top of that, it's often an incredible sexy, sensual show, loaded with both latent and obvious eroticism, near-naked goth chick performers and a carnally charged atmosphere of the burlesque.
Constantly playing against the pounding, rock 'n roll, power ballad soundtrack of the band Dr Haze and The Interceptors from Hell, this is a show you simply have to see if you get the chance. Unlike anything you've seen or most likely will ever see again in your entire existence on this planet, Circus of Horrors orgiastically overflows with quirky fun, dark eccentricities, outlandish characters, awesome performances, death-defying stunts and the odd This-Is-Too-Disturbing-I'm-Not-Going-To-Look moments.
In a nutshell, my perfect night out.
5/5
Reviewed by Jamie Caddick for 365Bristol - the leading events and entertainment website for Bristol.
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
