EDINBURGH 2023: Pick of the Programme - Circus and Clowning
Our top picks of the circus and clowning programme
By: Natalie O'Donoghue Jun. 19, 2023
With nearly 3000 shows now on sale for the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, trying to narrow down what to see can be a bit of a task. BWW reviewer Natalie O'Donoghue has selected her top ten picks across the festival programme to highlight the shows you really don't want to miss this year!
After thrilling the world, with more than 500,000 spectators and astonishing appearances at the Royal Variety Performance and Montecarlo Circus Festival, 'best circus show 2022' (TheatreWeekly.com) returns to Edinburgh... on a mission to entertain! Joining the energy of Africa with a rhythm 'n' blues sound, five unleashed acrobats perform their comedy tribute to cult movie The Blues Brothers. In an elegant nightclub reminiscent of the Cotton Club, chairs, the table and surroundings become props for an acrobatic celebration to the rhythm of music. Breathtaking jumps, fire and somersault routines, human pyramids and much more.
A treat for the whole family, BrainFools' Fringe debut defies gravity to conjure a surreal world where a flock of energetic, curious pigeons dwell. Join us on a journey to a magical space created through incredible contemporary circus skills.
An irresistibly charming homage to the magnificent circus horses and the silent movie era. Inspired by the history of traditional horse circuses, the skilful ringmaster performs acrobatics, juggling and balancing with an amazing cast of hobby horses. As the horses take centre stage, part of the story is told in short silent movies. The artist's innovative and playful work with the hobby horses brings the magic of circus alive!
Things are about to get messy! International children's theatremakers, Brymore Productions, triumphantly return to Edinburgh with their ode to creativity. Witness this interactive exhibit of physical comedy and crafty clowning, as our Artist attempts to create a masterpiece in less than sixty minutes. Mr Bean meets the Mona Lisa in this high-energy, paint-splattered comedy suited to the young and young at heart.
IMA (Pray) is an immersive circus experience. In the installation space reminiscent of sacred places, we participate in a unique ritual guided by the performer, who becomes a 21st-century shaman taking the audience into the unknown territories of the human mind. Bence Vági, director-choreographer of IMA worked with his team to create a magical installation inspired by the starry sky stretching over the desert; the place where human beings realise that we are merely tiny points in the infinite vastness of the universe.
360 ALLSTARS | Events | Assembly Festival
Sold out on Broadway! Sold out at the Sydney Opera House! Seen by over one-million people worldwide! BMX, basketball, breakdancing, beatboxing, acrobatics, drumming and more, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Boasting a stellar cast of World Champion and World Record-holding artists and athletes, the international smash hit returns to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
Circa's smash-hit Peepshow has astonished audiences worldwide. On this seductive circus thrill ride, flashes of cheeky cabaret, grinding nightclub and raw humanity explode into view before disappearing into darkness. Now the team from Circa has created Peepshow (Club Remix). Joined by a live DJ and featuring some of the best acrobatic talent on the planet under the direction of circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, this remix is outrageously skilled, delightfully funny and razor-sharp. This is one hot hour of big beats, playful acts and thrilling acrobatics.
YUCK are back with their sell-out show. High-flying acrobatics, absurd confessions and groovy dancing – all smashed together with their trademark ripper comedy. Winners of top-tier Fringe World Martin Sims Award, Best Circus at both Melbourne and Sydney Fringe, and Best Emerging Artist at Adelaide Fringe, get ready to witness a powerhouse of female circus performers kick art in the face.
An underground circus cabaret with a punk-rock soul, where all are welcome. Always changing and always amazing, Sanctuary Cabaret features a revolving line-up of internationally renowned circus artists, banding together to showcase their most personal and prized acts. Complimented by stunning live music fusing classic standards and modern faves with a slow, swanky twist. Direct from Chicago, this is cabaret excellence everyone can enjoy.
Afrique en Cirque – a show by Yamoussa Bangoura, inspired by daily life in Guinea. This performance shares the beauty, youth and artistry of African culture. A colourful show beyond its scenery, costumes and staging, that will make any theatre vibrate with energy. It represents strength, agility and life's joys of young Africans. The audience will see our acrobats execute gravity-defying moves and human pyramids, all to the contemporary sounds of Afro-Jazz, percussion, and kora. Welcome to the universe of Kalabanté Productions and prepare for an unforgettable journey.
The full programme is available at www.edfringe.com
Photo credit: B-lint-Hirling
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